INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people completed apprenticeships in  (a) the first year for which data are available and (b) the most recent year for which data are available, broken down by local authority.

David Lammy: Figures at local authority level on the number of people completing apprenticeship frameworks are only available from 2002-03. The following table provides the breakdown of apprenticeship completions by local authority area in 2002-03 and 2005-06, which is the latest information available.
	Number of apprenticeship framework completions for the 2002-03 and 2005-06 academic years by local authority of learners as recorded on the Learning and Skills Council work based learning individualised learner record
	
		
			  Local authority area in which learner is resident  Apprenticeship framework completions 
			   2002-03  2005-06 
			 Barking 73 156 
			 Barnet 42 168 
			 Barnsley 212 566 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 112 224 
			 Bedfordshire(1) 358 790 
			 Bexley 130 280 
			 Birmingham 599 1387 
			 Blackburn 189 326 
			 Blackpool 170 370 
			 Bolton 293 693 
			 Bournemouth 150 268 
			 Bracknell Forest 63 134 
			 Bradford 320 925 
			 Brent 31 126 
			 Brighton and Hove 76 273 
			 Bristol 232 449 
			 Bromley 96 328 
			 Buckinghamshire 339 928 
			 Bury 145 415 
			 Calderdale 166 469 
			 Cambridgeshire 402 914 
			 Camden 20 62 
			 Cheshire 793 1454 
			 City of London (2)— (2)— 
			 Cornwall(1) 675 1358 
			 Coventry 255 556 
			 Croydon 104 322 
			 Cumbria 715 1441 
			 Darlington 141 293 
			 Derby 242 595 
			 Derbyshire 990 2089 
			 Devon(1) 766 1860 
			 Doncaster 339 830 
			 Dorset(1) 593 1588 
			 Dudley 319 796 
			 Durham 709 1383 
			 Ealing 49 183 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire(1) 482 1684 
			 East Sussex 205 774 
			 Enfield 65 193 
			 Essex 982 1938 
			 Gateshead 242 581 
			 Gloucestershire 500 1087 
			 Greenwich 107 201 
			 Hackney 35 96 
			 Halton 112 281 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 27 67 
			 Hampshire(1) 921 2590 
			 Haringey 27 113 
			 Harrow 39 130 
			 Hartlepool 140 344 
			 Havering 117 273 
			 Herefordshire 214 548 
			 Hertfordshire 413 1171 
			 Hillingdon 119 255 
			 Hounslow(1) 100 195 
			 Isle of Wight 104 462 
			 Isles of Scilly (2)— (2)— 
			 Islington 26 115 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 15 48 
			 Kent 694 1920 
			 Kingston upon Hull 355 720 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 41 118 
			 Kirklees 321 1001 
			 Knowsley 186 493 
			 Lambeth 36 128 
			 Lancashire 1514 2954 
			 Leeds 374 1074 
			 Leicester 142 372 
			 Leicestershire 472 1384 
			 Lewisham 61 155 
			 Lincolnshire 666 1610 
			 Liverpool 491 1064 
			 Luton 139 237 
			 Manchester 249 648 
			 Medway(1) 235 512 
			 Merton 55 156 
			 Middlesbrough 195 374 
			 Milton Keynes 195 409 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 207 515 
			 Newham 62 167 
			 Norfolk 775 1536 
			 North East Lincolnshire 165 367 
			 North Lincolnshire 150 343 
			 North Somerset 149 289 
			 North Tyneside 197 443 
			 North Yorkshire(1) 1242 2171 
			 Northamptonshire 866 1519 
			 Northumberland 289 909 
			 Nottingham 192 504 
			 Nottinghamshire 697 2025 
			 Oldham 179 514 
			 Oxfordshire 378 906 
			 Peterborough 162 306 
			 Plymouth 445 725 
			 Poole 122 241 
			 Portsmouth 123 249 
			 Reading 77 192 
			 Redbridge 73 159 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 267 496 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 45 104 
			 Rochdale 225 477 
			 Rotherham 295 555 
			 Rutland 14 44 
			 Salford 240 554 
			 Sandwell 258 710 
			 Sefton 256 680 
			 Sheffield 548 1039 
			 Shropshire(1) 336 1811 
			 Slough 56 117 
			 Solihull 130 309 
			 Somerset 498 1061 
			 South Gloucestershire 204 452 
			 South Tyneside 172 445 
			 Southampton 137 324 
			 Southend 73 168 
			 Southwark 41 136 
			 St Helens 258 443 
			 Staffordshire 815 1990 
			 Stockport 246 641 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 278 576 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 272 750 
			 Suffolk 847 1625 
			 Sunderland 408 858 
			 Surrey 382 1214 
			 Sutton 90 240 
			 Swindon 162 300 
			 Tameside 247 612 
			 Telford and Wrekin 217 352 
			 Thurrock 86 179 
			 Torbay 109 290 
			 Tower Hamlets 65 163 
			 Trafford 188 429 
			 Wakefield 223 633 
			 Walsall 207 625 
			 Waltham Forest 82 183 
			 Wandsworth 59 110 
			 Warrington 223 424 
			 Warwickshire 550 984 
			 West Berkshire 109 270 
			 West Sussex 376 991 
			 Westminster(1) 87 141 
			 Wigan 406 794 
			 Wiltshire(1) 378 1022 
			 Windsor(1) 59 145 
			 Wirral 409 857 
			 Wokingham(1) 656 1026 
			 Wolverhampton 162 480 
			 Worcestershire 481 933 
			 York 116 343 
			 England 42,679 98,678 
			 Other(3) 760 1,019 
			 (1) These local authorities areas have >10 per cent. apprenticeships funded by MoD. (2) Denotes <10 apprenticeship framework completions. (3) The 'other' category includes incomplete records and learners not resident in England, but who are learning in England (for example, learners resident in Scotland or Wales).  Notes: 1. Local authority areas are based on home postcode of the learner, where residential learning is taking place in the MOD, the learner is allocated to the local authority where they are based. 2. The local authority area geography presented here refers to the upper tier of local authorities.

TRANSPORT

Biofuels

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effects of imports of subsidised biodiesel on domestic production.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government are aware that imports of subsidised biodiesel from the United States are having a negative impact on the competitiveness of the UK biofuel industry. The Government cannot, however, act unilaterally to resolve the problem. We have urged the European Commission to find a solution, and have lobbied the US authorities to make the necessary legislative changes so that US biofuel subsidies are limited to US domestic sales. The Commission has said that it will consider initiating a countervailing duty investigation on receipt of a properly documented complaint from the European biodiesel industry, and is expecting to receive such a complaint imminently.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by her Department since July 2007.

Jim Fitzpatrick: No new offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by the Department for Transport since July 2007 and which has been enacted, although the Department is currently sponsoring primary legislation including the Local Road Transport Bill, the current version of which does propose new criminal offences.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by her Department and its predecessors since May 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following information is that readily available without incurring disproportionate cost.
	 Merchant Shipping Act offences
	Under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 offences under section 117 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 were abolished.
	Under the Marine Safety Act 2003, offences under section 100D and 139 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 were abolished.
	 Railways related offences
	S95(5) of the Railways Act 1993 created an offence of failing to comply with a direction given by the Secretary of State to provide information in connection with a transfer scheme. This section was prospectively repealed by s274 of and Schedule 31 to the Transport Act 2000 (although no date has yet been appointed for this repeal to come into force).
	 Road  t ransport related offences
	 Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (c . 14)
	Section 24(3)—(failure to produce a licence within a reasonable time for the purpose of endorsement)
	 Road Traffic Act 1988 (c.52)
	Section 996(11 )(b)—(failure to surrender counterpart of Community licence)
	 Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40)
	Section 66(6)—(removal or interference with penalty charge notice)
	Section 69(6)—(removal or interference with immobilisation notice)
	Section 69(7)—removal or interference with immobilisation device
	Section 70(2)—avoidance of immobilisation by wrongful use of disabled person's badge
	Section 71(10)—false declaration to parking adjudicator
	Section 73(14)—failure to attend hearing of parking adjudicator
	Schedule 6 paragraph 9—false representations to parking adjudicator
	 London Local Authorities Act 2000
	Section 14(2)—false representations relating to unpaid charges
	 London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003 (c.3)
	Section 5(2)—failure to comply with requirements of operator's notice
	Section 5(3)—false declarations in response to requirements of operator's notice
	Schedule 1—false representations in relation to penalty charges for road traffic contraventions.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many full-time posts were filled on a temporary basis for a period in excess of six months in her Department in each of the last three years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Midland Main Railway Line

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance she has given to Network Rail on the priority to be given to track infrastructure improvements to facilitate faster train speeds on the Midland Main Line.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government specified and funded in last year's Rail White Paper the high level improvements in capacity, safety and reliability required by 2014. Network Rail responded with an industry strategic business plan (SBP) to deliver these, which includes an optional enhancement to deliver journey time enhancements through Midland Main Line line-speed improvements.
	The independent Office of Rail Regulation is currently reviewing Network Rail's revised SBP, published on 4 April, ahead of the publication of its draft conclusions in June 2008.

Motor Vehicles: Licensing

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles re-licensing applications were not processed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency within two months of expiry of the last licence in each of the last five years; and how many late licensing penalty notices were issued in respect of the unlicensed vehicles.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Relicensing applications received electronically are updated on the vehicles database within three days. Manual relicensing applications are processed and the database updated within seven days.
	There are no figures for the number of relicensing applications not processed within two months of the expiry of the last licence.
	It is therefore not possible to provide the number of late licensing penalty notices that have been issued as a direct result of this. Figures are available for the total number of late licensing penalty notices issued since 2004 to date.
	
		
			  Late licensing penalty notices issued 
			   Number 
			 Apr 2004 to March 2005 1,183,543 
			 Apr 2005 to March 2006 1,341,598 
			 Apr 200 to March 2007 1,272,384 
			 Apr200 to March 2008 1,219,462

Motor Vehicles: Lighting

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the UK will be required to implement the provisions of European legislation requiring vehicles to have their lights on throughout daylight.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have been successful in preventing the introduction of Europe-wide requirements for drivers of all existing vehicles to use dipped headlamps during the day.
	However, from early 2011 new types of passenger car and light van will have to be fitted with low-wattage dedicated daytime running lights (DRLs), in addition to standard vehicle lighting. By summer 2012 new types of buses and large/heavy vehicles will also have to be so fitted. Only 'new types' of vehicle are affected, not those already in use or new vehicles built under existing type approvals.
	The requirements arise from revisions to a United Nations-Economic Commission for Europe Regulation. The EU Lighting Directive, by which the UK will be obliged to abide, is imminently expected to be updated to mirror these revisions.

Shipping: EU Emissions Trading Scheme

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether emissions from shipping will be included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government would prefer to see the development of a global emissions trading scheme, under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). However, until a truly global solution can be found, or if progress within IMO proves too slow, the UK will continue to look at other options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships, including the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
	Because of the world-wide nature of the shipping industry, the Government believe that regional (EU) action should be seen as a stepping stone to future global agreements on international shipping emissions.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will put in place a procedure by which right hon. and hon. Members would be able to find out the names and addresses of service personnel from their constituencies who have been injured in Iraq or Afghanistan since January 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The paramount aim of MOD policy is the welfare of wounded personnel and their family.
	Service personnel and their families may of course contact their MP on any matter and at any time, and the MOD accordingly takes the view that the initiative over contact with the MP should remain with the wounded individual and their family.

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan.

Des Browne: The security situation in Afghanistan is stable if fragile in places. The Afghan National Army and troops from the 40-nation International Security Assistance Force have achieved significant tactical success against the Taliban in 2007; this has restricted geographically the ability of the insurgents to conduct sustained activity. NATO figures show that 91 per cent of insurgent activities have been reported in only eight per cent of the districts during 2008.

Aircraft Carriers: Procurement

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procurement process will be used to determine which contractors will be awarded the contract to build the new aircraft carriers; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: As announced by the then Secretary of State for Defence on 14 December 2005, Official Report, column 149WS, the new aircraft carriers will be manufactured in super blocks to be allocated to BAE Systems yards at Govan and Barrow, to VT in Portsmouth and to Babcock in Rosyth, with final assembly of both carriers at Rosyth. The majority of the structure above the hangar deck will be open to competition.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Michael Mates: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ask the Armed Forces Pay Review Body to examine  (a) entitlements to and  (b) payment of service pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) periodically value armed forces pensions relative to civilian pensions as part of its remit to have regard for the need for military pay to be broadly comparable with pay levels in civilian life.
	In addition, as part of the parliamentary passage of the 2004 Armed Forces Bill, it was agreed that the AFPRB would review the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005being introduced as part of that legislationafter its initial five years of operation in 2010.
	These are the only two forms of engagement that are planned between the AFPRB and the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. It would not be appropriate for the AFPRB to undertake the type of detailed examination of the service pension schemes described in the question. The schemes are subject to annual scrutiny by the National Audit Office in terms of overall payment of entitlements and to internal MOD audit procedures in terms of the accuracy of individual pension payments.

Armed Forces: Schools

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his officials first discussed with Essex local authority schooling for the children of Colchester Garrison; on what subsequent dates discussions have been held; which  (a) officials from his Department and  (b) officials from Essex local authority attended; which (i) Ministers and (ii) Essex County Councillors were present at these meetings; what the location was of each meeting; and what the subject heading was of each item discussed.

Derek Twigg: I have agreed to meet with the hon. Member to discuss this issue and will write to him after the meeting.
	 Substantive answer from Derek Twigg to Bob Russell:
	I know you have continued to express your very close interest in the future of Alderman Blaxill School, a local authority school in your constituency, on a number of occasions. I am writing to follow up our meeting on 5 February, and to confirm what was discussedincluding the specific information you requested in your Parliamentary Question of 28 January 2008 (Official Report, column 32W) I am sorry that I have not been able to write soonerand what has happened since. First may I say that I was grateful for your very positive comments about your visit to Afghanistan on the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme and your acknowledgement that, regardless of some media coverage, morale was exceptionally high and the atmosphere among our troops wholly positive.
	I hope you found the meeting a good opportunity to pass on your views on the future of Alderman Blaxill School. I reiterate that the best possible education for all children in this country is at the heart of this Government's plans. I made the point to you that the MOD does not lead on education in the UK, although we are responsible for Service schools for children from Service families who are living overseas. For Alderman Blaxill School, it is the local authority that leads but with a responsibility to consult all those with an interest. This includes the local Service community, both through direct consultation and through their representatives in an Armed Forces context, the local chain of command. For that reason I was pleased that Colonel Tony Phillips, the Deputy Garrison Commander in Colchester, and Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Ray Housley, the Army Welfare Service lead for these matters in Colchester, were able to join us for the meeting. It was clear that there is close contact between you and Colonel Phillips on a range of local issues. This is the right basis of Ministry of Defence (MOD) involvement in an issue like planning for local schools; it is the local chain of command who understand the local conditions and can, on a daily basis, look out for the best interests of their people.
	In turn you made some good points about the importance of pastoral support in schools, not least for Service children. I agree with you; that support will need to be strong whatever the shape of education is in Colchester in the future. We may have some good practice to offer here from our experience with Service schools overseas within our Service Children's Education (SCE) Agency. This is being considered by the Service Children In State Schools (SCISS) forum, which is run by and for head teachers from schools in England with a significant population of children from Service families. They are developing a booklet that will offer a range of advice and best practice to schools, so that they can offer the best possible support to Service children. The forum has the support and involvement of both MOD and Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) officials. The guidance will be made widely available, for example through teachernet, the key DCSF online resource for all teaching professionals in England.
	At our meeting you heard that Colonel Phillips was fully satisfied with the approach of the local authority on plans for Alderman Blaxill School, in relation to the engagement that had occurred and the consultation that had been planned and undertaken. He felt that Service families had had every opportunity to understand what was being proposed and to comment on it. The MOD cannot, of course, take a central view on all proposals for the future of individual schools in UK. But we do expect there to be good local interaction, so that Service families affected can be confident that their voices can and will be heard. I am confident that this has happened in this case, and I hope you were reassured on that point by Colonel Phillips.
	On the detailed questions you raised, I can confirm that discussions between MOD officials and the local authority first took place on 27 June 2007, between Lieutenant Colonel Housley and Major Di Waddington from Colchester Garrison staff and Mr Peter Wright and Mr Graham Ranby from Essex County Council. The purpose of the meeting was for the local authority representatives to inform the Colchester Garrison representatives of the circumstances of Alderman Blaxill and Thomas Lord Audley Schools and that a recommendation had been made to consider their replacement with an Academy. The local authority wanted to ensure that Service families affected could be made aware of any subsequent proposals and involved in any consultation. A second meeting was held on 17 October 2007 between Lieutenant Colonel Housley and Mr Wright. The aim of the meeting was for the consultation process to be explained and the consultation documentation described. There was also some discussion of the best way to encourage engagement with Service families. Finally, I can confirm that there were no Ministers or Essex County Councillors at either of the meetings.
	At our meeting Colonel Phillips emphasised to you his confidence that Garrison staff had ensured that all Service families affected had been made aware of the proposals and had had an opportunity to comment. I should add that the Garrison staff worked to make this happen, although this did not involve further meetings with the local authority. Since our meeting we have been waiting for the results of the consultation but at this time I have little to pass on. There has been telephone contact between Colchester Garrison and local authority staff which has confirmed that the consultation had drawn 236 responses. It is not possible to state how many of those were from Service families but the local authority have noted strong interest from Service families at meetings held during the consultation period. Like you, we look forward to hearing the outcome of the consultation in due course.
	This letter to you on the subject of the future of Alderman Blaxill School follows responses I have given to your Parliamentary Question on 9 July 2007 (Official Report, column 1281W), to your letter of 10 July 2007, to points you made in intervention during the Armed Forces Personnel Debate on 10 January 2008 and at our meeting on 5 February 2008. I hope that you are reassured that the MOD has played a proper part in ensuring that Service families have a free and open opportunity to make their views known on the future of the school, although the responsibility for deciding on that future does not lie with the MOD.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since May 1997.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since July 2007.

Derek Twigg: None.

European Fighter Aircraft: Costs

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse of the Typhoon Eurofighter  (a) has been to date and  (b) is estimated to be in total.

Bob Ainsworth: As recorded in the Major Projects Report 2007 (MPR07), expenditure to 31 March 2007 on the Eurofighter Typhoon is 11.8 billion. I am withholding the estimated total cost of the programme as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.

Nuclear Disarmament

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) financial and  (b) in kind contributions the Atomic Weapons Establishment has made to the (i) International Atomic Energy Agency and (ii) Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in the field of verification techniques in the last five years.

Bob Ainsworth: AWE is a member of the IAEA's Network of Analytical Laboratories that analyse environmental samples collected by the IAEA's Department of Safeguards. Over the past five years, analytical work to the value of 417,000 has been carried out at AWE. This work is performed under the UK Support Programme for IAEA safeguards, funded by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
	AWE has not provided any support to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Nuclear Disarmament

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution Atomic Weapons Establishment verification researchers made to the Royal Society's report on Detecting Nuclear and Radiological Materials; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Personnel from the Atomic Weapons Establishment participated in a two-day workshop run by the Royal Society in December 2007. The findings from this workshop formed the basis for the Royal Society's report on Detecting Nuclear and Radiological Materials.

Television

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many plasma television screens have been purchased by his Department and its agencies, and at what cost, in the last 24 months.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Expenditure on plasma televisions must comply with the principles of propriety set out in Managing Public Money and in the Treasury's handbook on Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since May 1997.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has not taken forward primary legislation to abolish any criminal offences.

Departmental Pay

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total cost was of  (a) salaries for permanent civil service posts,  (b) salaries for permanent non-civil service posts and  (c) payments to temporary or agency workers in his Department in each month since May 2005.

David Cairns: The staff in the Scotland Office are seconded from other Departments who submit invoices to the Office on a regular basis. The Office does not maintain financial records in the form requested; the total cost for each year was:
	
		
			   
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08( 1) 
			 Permanent civil servants 1,888,383 1,888,861 2,250,243 
			 Permanent non-civil servants 0 0 0 
			 Temporary staff 539 20,067 7,394 
			 (1) Estimate.

Departmental Public Participation

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many public consultations were held by his Department in each of the last three years; and how many respondents took part in each consultation.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office undertook two targeted and time-limited public consultations; one entitled Scottish Parliament Elections May 2007: Ballot Paper Design; there were 32 responses, and a further 100 people took part in focus groups. The other, Sorting the Ballot, received 39 responses. Responses to both consultations were received from councils, political parties and a range of other organisations presenting the opinions of all their members.
	In addition, the Office participated in a joint consultation with the Ministry of Justice and the Wales Office on Fees for the Marked Register of Electors produced at UK Elections.

Devolution

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Advocate-General on devolution arrangements.

Des Browne: I meet regularly with the Advocate-General to discuss a broad range of issues.

Public Expenditure

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what allocation of funding Scotland will receive under the Barnett formula for 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: As a result of Barnett consequential from the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007, the funding allocation for Scotland for 2008-09 will be 27,244 million.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Members: Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Leader of the House 
	(1)  what forecasts she has made of spending on the parliamentary contributory Pension Fund in each year between 2008-09 and 2050-51; and how many members of the scheme there are;
	(2)  what the  (a) rate and  (b) cost of Exchequer contributions to the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund was in each year since 2005-06;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the unfunded liability in present value terms of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund; and what assumptions for  (a) discount rate and  (b) longevity the estimate is based on.

Helen Goodman: The Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF) is a fully-funded pension scheme whose costs are met from Members' contributions, investment returns and an Exchequer contribution. The Government Actuary undertakes a triennial valuation in which he makes recommendations as to the necessary Exchequer contribution to the PCPF. This can rise or fall depending on factors such as predicted investment returns and longevity assumptions.
	In the triennial valuation report laid before the House in March 2006, the Government Actuary's Department (GAD) calculated that the Exchequer contribution should be 26.8 per cent. of pensionable pay from 2006-07 until 2020-21 and then 18.1 per cent. of pensionable pay thereafter. The estimated cost of contributions payable by the Exchequer for the financial year 2008-09 and the next triennial valuation is 12.1 million.
	As at 31 March 2007 the membership of the PCPF was as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Current Members 666 
			 Deferred Members (former MPs, Ministers and Office Holders not yet in receipt of a pension) 208 
			 Pensioners 931 
		
	
	The value of the Exchequer contributions since 2005-06 is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  PCP F exchequer contribution rate (percentage  of salaries)  PCPF exchequer contribution ( million) 
			 2005-06 24.0 10.17 
			 2006-07 26.8 11.5 
			 2007-08 26.8 12.0 
		
	
	The aforementioned costs include contributions payable in respect of pensions provided for MPs, Ministers and Office Holders.
	The deficit (unfunded liability) calculated as at 1 April 2005 (the date of the last valuation) was 49.5 million. This is the approximate value of the Exchequer 'contribution holiday' between 1989 and 2003.
	The main financial assumptions used by GAD were:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Gross rate of return 6.5 
			 Real rate of return, net of earnings increases 2.0 
			 Real rate of return, net of price/pension increases 3.5 
		
	
	The liabilities were valued by discounting back to the valuation date the expected future expenditure on pension benefits, using the discount rates given in this table. The investments were brought into account in the assessment by discounting back to the valuation date the expected income from them, using the discount rates given in this table.
	GAD also assumed that male pensioners aged 65, would live on average for a further 19.5 years, and that female pensioners aged 65 would live on average for a further 22.6 years.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for capping decisions and implementation for 2008-09.

John Healey: On 27 March I announced that eight authorities had been designated for exceeding the principles set for 2008-09. The authorities have the right to challenge their designation and all eight have done so.
	We will now carefully consider these challenges and, if our decision is to proceed with the designation of one or more of the authorities, I will seek the approval of the House.

Eco-Towns: Community Development

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account will be taken of community cohesion in the development of eco-towns.

Caroline Flint: Community cohesion and empowerment is one of the seven criteria that eco-towns must address and will be vital to the success of an eco-town, which should provide a vibrant and sustainable community. The outcomes that we want to see are set out in Eco-townsLiving a greener future and supported through the work that the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) are doing with us on the practical application of the criteria. This includes the recent publication of a community worksheet to provide practical help to all those involved with taking forward eco-town proposals, which is available on the TCPA website.

Eco-Towns: Employment

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account is being taken of the provision of employment opportunities in each of the locations shortlisted to become eco-towns.

Caroline Flint: One of the criteria that we have assessed eco-town proposals against relates to jobs and the outcomes we expect to see. This includes developing a clear strategy to maximise employment opportunities and enabling links to existing clusters of employment. In the consultation document Eco-townsLiving a greener future we have set out some of the potential employment opportunities and issues for the shortlisted locations. We are currently consulting on these locations and final decisions on the locations are still to be determined. Copies of the consultation document are available in the Library of the House.

Eco-Towns: Finance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much public funding would be required to establish an eco-town at each of the 15 shortlisted locations.

Caroline Flint: At this stage the 15 shortlisted locations for eco-towns are subject to consultation and are still to be determined, and later in the year we will make final decisions on locations with potential to be an eco-town. The bulk of investment needed to create an eco-town will come from the private sector, but there will also be projects that we want to help develop through direct funding to local authorities using the Growth Areas fund and from mainstream programmes. In terms of the level of growth funding available for eco-towns I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry) on 6 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1397W.

Eco-Towns: Green Belt

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much greenfield land would be developed in respect of each of the 15 shortlisted eco-town proposals.

Caroline Flint: In the recently published consultation document Eco-townsLiving a greener future we have provided a description of the shortlisted locations and this demonstrates that many make significant use of previously developed land. However in some cases development on greenfield land provides the best opportunities and may be appropriate. All the shortlisted locations for eco-towns are subject to consultation and further assessment.

Energy Performance Certificate: Inspections

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many inspectors she estimates will be qualified to assess a property for an energy performance certificate by 1 April 2008.

Caroline Flint: As at 1 April we had 7,304 assessors accredited to provide energy performance certificates.

English Partnerships: Manpower

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will break down by  (a) sex,  (b) ethnicity and  (c) age, senior managers and staff of English Partnerships engaged in transition arrangements; and whether this staff profile is likely to be maintained in the Housing and Communities Agency.

Caroline Flint: Although the precise details of the staff of English Partnerships who will transfer to the Homes and Communities Agency will not be known until nearer the event, the following table sets out the current expectation of those who will transfer, broken down by gender, ethnicity and age as at 31 March 2008:
	
		
			  Employees by ethnic minority 
			   Number  Percentage 
			 British 453  
			 Irish 14  
			 Other White 9  
			 Other Mixed 2  
			 Caribbean 4  
			 African 3  
			 Indian 5  
			 Pakistani 4  
			 Other Asian 8  
			 Chinese 3  
			 Other 3  
			 Not declared 9  
			 Awaiting declaration 21  
			 Total 538  
			 Percentage  5.9 
		
	
	
		
			  Employees by gender 
			   Male  Female 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Total 252 46.8 286 53.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Employees by age band 
			  Age  Number 
			 16 to 20 1 
			 21 to 30 89 
			 31 to 40 150 
			 41 to 50 163 
			 51 to 60 118 
			 61 to 65 16 
			 66+ 1 
			 Total 538 
		
	
	Staff from other bodies, including the Housing Corporation, will also transfer to the HCA. Such staff are not included in the aforementioned table. Since the transfer to the HCA is to be treated as if TUPE applied, it is expected that the profile of the HCA will be broadly similar to the profile of English Partnerships, at least in so far as the transfer of English Partnerships staff is concerned.
	I can also confirm that, in the Housing and Regeneration Bill, we are amending Schedule 1A to the Race Relations Act 1976 to include the Homes and Communities Agency (Schedule 7, paragraph 5, to the Bill). The Homes and Communities Agency will therefore be subject to the specific duties under the race legislation.
	Other amendment of primary legislation is not necessary. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (as amended by the Equality Act 2006) now contains a general duty which applies to all public authorities, which would include the Homes and Communities Agency without the need for any further legislative amendment.
	Further, we propose to amend the secondary legislation in respect of the specific sex and disability duties to include the Homes and Communities Agency, during the period of transition between the existing bodies and the new Agency.

Housing: Standards

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost of implementing the Lifetime Homes Standard, with particular regard to  (a) additional building costs and  (b) increased plot size.

Iain Wright: In 'Lifetime Homes, Lifetime NeighbourhoodsA National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society', launched on 25 February 2008, we estimated that compliance with the Lifetime Homes Standards could result in modest additional costs of around 547 per new home.
	Our assessment of the effect of the introduction of Lifetime Homes Standards on new homes was informed by findings from 'Designed for Manufacture, Lessons Learned' (English Partnerships, CLG, June 2006). We have stated that it is our aspiration to see all new homes built to Lifetime Homes Standards by 2013, and that we will undertake a review of Lifetime Homes Standards take-up across all sectors in 2010. My officials are now considering what work needs to be commissioned to further develop the evidence base for the proposed review. This will include additional research into the potential impact of Lifetime Homes Standards on  (a) additional building costs and  (b) increased plot size.

Housing: Standards

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes were revalued for council tax purposes following  (a) the request of the homeowner and  (b) sale of the property in each region of England in each year since 1997; and how many moved (i) up and (ii) down by one council tax band following revaluation in each case.

John Healey: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Local Authorities: Freedom of Information

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what regulations cover the provision of  (a) information and  (b) documents by local authorities on their actions to (i) hon. Members, (ii) local councillors and (iii) members of the public; and what exemptions apply.

John Healey: Part 5A of the Local Government Act 1972, and the regulations made there under, establish the principle regime for the provision of information by local authorities, which are also subject to a range of other legislative provision and case law on information, including
	The Data Protection Act 1998
	The Freedom of Information Act 2000
	Environment Information Regulations 2004
	These statutory provisions give extensive rights of public access to local authority information. In addition to these statutory provisions, the members of local authorities enjoy wide common law rights to access information held by the councils of which they are members.

Local Authorities: Standards

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what incentives her Department offers to local authorities to encourage higher standards of performance as measured under the comprehensive performance assessment.

John Healey: Incentives were announced in September 2006, with the publication of the analysis of responses to the consultation on proposed changes to the delivery of Local Authority Freedoms and Flexibilities under CPA 2005:
	Authorities have exemptions to produce certain statutory plans; freedoms over how to spend fixed penalty notices; powers to trade; and freedoms on unringfenced grants. The precise exemptions and freedoms and norms differ according to the authority's performance under CPA.

Local Authority Business Growth Incentives Scheme

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to ring-fence Local Authority Business Growth Incentives scheme funding to business development opportunities.

John Healey: None. Current Local Authority Business Growth Incentives scheme funding is not ring-fenced and the Government have said they are minded that a reformed scheme would remain unring-fenced.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 4 March 2008, transferred from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on solar energy.

Iain Wright: I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 21 April.

Parish Councils: Finance

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether parish councils will be able to apply to the fund created under the Community Infrastructure Levy proposed in the Planning Reform Bill; what the criteria will be for applications to the fund; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 23 April 2008
	The purpose of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is to support the provision of infrastructure needed to support the development of an area. This infrastructure could be at the regional, sub-regional or local level, including at parish level. The Government's initial proposals for the process of identifying the infrastructure are set out in the Community Infrastructure Levy document of 24 January which is available in the House Library.
	Further details of how the CIL will work in practice will be set out in draft Regulations, on which we intend to consult in the autumn.

Regional Planning and Development: Eco-Towns

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether proposals for eco-towns will be included in relevant  (a) local development framework plans,  (b) regional spatial strategies and  (c) regional transport plans.

Caroline Flint: The planning process remains the route by which eco-town proposals would be decided. In some cases the principle of development has already been established in the local development framework, in others this may involve reviews of and/or new development plans coming forward, and in some cases revised regional spatial strategies (RSS). We expect the RSS reviews announced in the Housing Green Paper (which depending on the region will be prepared between now and 2011) to test the longer term issues that arise from the eco town proposalssuch as the ultimate size of new settlements. RSS reviews are informed by and incorporate the regional transport strategies, which will take into consideration all proposals for growth.

TREASURY

Attendance Allowance: Tax Allowances

Mark Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of exempting those who are in receipt of attendance allowance from vehicle excise duty.

Angela Eagle: The Government offer exemption from vehicle excise duty to those in receipt of the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance or the war pensioners mobility supplement. The total number of recipients as at the end of September 2007 was 1,125,380.
	The population of exempted vehicles will vary in engine size and carbon dioxide emissions output and it is not possible to disaggregate this population by notional tax paying class.

Child Benefit

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the value of child benefit support as a percentage of forecast  (a) mean and  (b) median earnings in each year until 2012.

Jane Kennedy: Child benefit is currently paid at a rate of 18.80 for the first child and 12.55 for subsequent children. The first rate of child benefit has risen by over 25 per cent. in real terms since 1997, and is set to rise further to 20 from April 2009.
	The Government do not publish average earnings forecasts for future years.
	While the Government are committed to further tackling child poverty and strengthening financial support for families, child benefit rates from April 2010 have not yet been set. Decisions about the rate of child benefit will continue to be made at Budgets and pre-Budget reports.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time posts were filled on a temporary basis for a period in excess of six months in his Department in each of the last three years.

Angela Eagle: This information is not kept centrally and therefore the question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

Income

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of  (a) individuals and  (b) families claiming (i) working and (ii) child tax credits have incomes of (A) 60 per cent., (B) 70 per cent., (C) 80 per cent., (D) 90 per cent. and (E) 100 per cent. or more of median earnings; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is available only at a disproportionate cost.
	However, estimates of the number of in-work benefiting families with tax credit awards, broken down by income bands, are produced in table 2.10 of the HMRC publications Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Annual Awards. for the years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm

Income Tax

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people in each constituency in Wales were paying income tax at the 10 pence rate on the entirety of their taxable income on the latest date for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people in Chesham and Amersham constituency were paying income tax at the 10 pence rate on the entirety of their taxable income on the latest date for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The estimated number of taxpayers in each Government office region paying tax only at the starting rate of income tax for 2007-08 is shown in Table 2.2 'Number of individual income taxpayers by country and region', which is available from HM Revenue and Customs website.
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm
	Accurate information on the number of taxpayers who pay income tax at the 10p starting rate for geographic areas below country and region are not available but information on the total number of taxpayers in each parliamentary constituency is shown in Table T3.15, which can be found at the HM Revenue and Customs website.
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/incomedistribution/menu.htm
	These estimates are based on the latest available Survey of Personal Incomes (2005-06).

Income Tax: Low Incomes

Mark Hunter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in  (a) the United Kingdom,  (b) England,  (c) Greater Manchester,  (d) Stockport borough and  (e) Cheadle constituency were paying only the 10p starting rate of income tax as at 1 April 2008.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 23 April 2008
	Estimates for the number of individual taxpayers in the United Kingdom and England paying tax only at the starting rate of income tax for 2007-08 are provided in tables 2.1 and 2.2, which are available from HM Revenue and Customs website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm
	Accurate information on the total number of taxpayers in Greater Manchester, the borough of Stockport, and the parliamentary constituency of Cheadle are shown in tables T3.13, T3.14 and T3.15 respectively, which can be found at the HM Revenue and Customs website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu.htm
	These estimates are based on the latest available Survey of Personal Incomes (2005-06).

Income Tax: Low Incomes

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people in Pendle who paid income tax at the 10p rate on all their taxable income on the latest date for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The estimated number of taxpayers in each Government office region paying tax only at the starting rate of income tax for 2007-08 is shown in Table 2.2 'Number of individual income taxpayers by country and region', which is available from HM Revenue and Customs website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm
	Accurate information on the number of taxpayers who pay income tax at the 10p starting rate for geographic areas below country and region are not available but information on the total number of taxpayers in the parliamentary constituency of Pendle is shown in Table T3.15, which can be found at the HM Revenue and Customs website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu.htm
	These estimates are based on the latest available Survey of Personal Incomes (2005-06).

Invest to Save Budget

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much funding has been allocated to each local authority under the Invest to Save budget.

Yvette Cooper: The ISB has allocated over 87.5 million to 161 local authority-led projects. Successive rounds have continued to fund innovation with an emphasis on local partnerships delivering local projects that strengthen local communities. Tables listing those projects that are local authority-led have been deposited in the Library of the House.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer the letter to him dated 10 March 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Mrs N Hussain.

Jane Kennedy: I have replied to my right hon. Friend.

Pay: Public Sector

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate of the effect on inflation of the provision of an overall public sector pay rise of  (a) 2,  (b) 3 and  (c) 4 per cent. in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 6 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1198W.

Revenue and Customs: Audit

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of all internal audit recommendations made in the last five years in relation to  (a) the Tax Credit Office and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs.

Jane Kennedy: To do so would prejudice the effective conduct of internal audit work in HM Revenue and Customs.

Revenue and Customs: Surveys

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how staff are surveyed at  (a) HM Revenue and Customs and  (b) his Department; and on what dates the next survey's results will be made public.

Angela Eagle: The staff of HM Revenue and Customs are currently surveyed, on a sample basis, twice per year (winter and summer). The full responses to the staff surveys are published on the Department's external website and are available to the general public. The latest staff survey results from winter 2007 (November/December) were published on 29 February 2008. The next survey is scheduled for this summer and the results will be published shortly thereafter.
	Staff at HM Treasury are surveyed in two ways: a main staff survey that takes place in December each year and a series of smaller Pulse surveys each quarter. A summary of the results from the 2007 annual staff survey were published on the Department's external website on 5 March 2008.

Taxation: Agriculture

Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to produce a regulatory impact assessment on the withdrawal of the agricultural building allowances; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: An impact assessment on the capital allowances changes announced in Budget 2007 was produced and included in the technical note containing draft legislation on the majority of the package, published on 17 December 2007.
	It is available on the Treasury website:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/F/2/consult_businesstaxreform171207.pdf

Taxation: Climate Change

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the use of taxation to assist adaptation to climate change.

Angela Eagle: The Government's strategy for tackling climate change is set out in Government publications and reiterated in pre-Budget Report and Budget documents. Policy on environmental taxation was published in the 1997 Statement of Intent, and the Government continue to keep all taxation matters under review as part of the annual Budget process.
	Many climate change impacts (for example floods, droughts and heat waves) are not new. As such, the Government have well-established policies to address them and reviews these policies and their funding regularly. Taxation, spending and regulation are some of the several policy instruments to tackle climate change. For example, the 2007 comprehensive spending review included additional funding for flood defences.
	However, climate change is creating different impacts as well as changing the frequency and intensity of traditional ones. The framework in the Climate Change Bill will ensure that the Government regularly assess the risks from climate change and bring together a range of policies and proposals to address these risks, ensuring a joined-up approach to adaptation across Government.

VAT: Bingo

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers he has to exempt bingo games organised by commercial operators from value added tax.

Angela Eagle: The principal VAT directive, which governs the application of VAT throughout the European Union, provides for VAT exemption to be applied to betting, lotteries and other forms of gambling, subject to the conditions and limitations laid down by each member state.
	Subject to certain exceptions, VAT is chargeable in the UK on bingo participation and session fees.

VAT: Houseboats

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs has changed its guidance on the value added tax liability of non-powered houseboats.

Jane Kennedy: Guidance on the VAT treatment of houseboats can be found in HM Revenue and Customs Notice 701/20, 'Caravans and houseboats'. There have been no changes to the technical content of this notice, or the VAT liability rules in this area, since the current version of the notice was published in February 2004.
	The supply of a houseboat (defined in VAT legislation as a boat or other floating decked structure designed or adapted for use solely as a place of permanent habitation and not having means of, or capable of being readily adapted for, self-propulsion) is VAT zero-rated.

Welfare Tax Credits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 890-1W, on income, what estimate he has made of expenditure on  (a) tax credits and  (b) child benefits to households in each income decile in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: Estimates of the distribution of household entitlements to tax credits and child benefit by income decile for each year since 1997 consistent with my previous reply are not available.
	The annual Office for National Statistics publication 'The effects of taxes and benefits on household income' provides data on the distribution of households' reported receipt of tax credits, child benefit and other benefits by income decile over time:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Product.asp?vlnk=10336

Welfare Tax Credits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the effect on receipts to the Exchequer of increasing the taper rate on tax credits to  (a) 46 per cent.,  (b) 45 per cent.,  (c) 44 per cent. and  (d) 43 per cent. in 2009; and what his estimate is of the number of people who would no longer be eligible for tax credits in each case.

Jane Kennedy: The estimated saving, in 2009-10, of increasing the 1st taper rate of tax credits to the rates requested, is as follows.
	
		
			  1st  taper rate (percentage)  Effect on expenditure ( million)  Number of claimants ( Th ousand) 
			 46 -1,420 23.8 
			 45 -1,240 18.7 
			 44 -1,060 15.4 
			 43 -870 11.4 
		
	
	These changes would not affect the number of claimants eligible for tax credits. However, it would increase the number of claimants with awards reduced to zero. Estimates of which are provided in third column for each rate change.
	No account has been taken of any possible behavioural effects.

Welfare Tax Credits

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what changes have been made to tax credit system procedures following the convictions of David Wilshaw and Nancy Stevenson;
	(2)  what changes have been made to the checking systems for the payment of benefits following the convictions of David Wilshaw and Nancy Stevenson.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC constantly monitor and look for ways to improve their procedures to prevent tax credits and child benefit fraud. These convictions demonstrate that HMRC can and do prosecute those that wish to commit a crime.

Welfare Tax Credits: Administration

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of administering  (a) tax and  (b) working family tax credits was in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 November 2007,  Official Report, column 927W.

Welfare Tax Credits: Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals there were by tax credit claimants in Northern Ireland in relation to  (a) overpayments and  (b) repayments in 2007; and of those how many were successful.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available.
	Customers can contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to appeal if they think their tax credits award is wrong. Information concerning appeals can be found in the HMRC leaflet WTC/AP 'How to appeal against a tax credits decision or award' which is available on the internet at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/wtc_ap.pdf
	A decision to recover an overpayment does not carry the right of appeal.
	However, for information on the number of UK households that disputed a decision to recover overpaid tax credits and the number written off between April 2007 to December 2007 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander) on 17 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 901-02W.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer Question 196462, on household income tabled on 19th March.

Angela Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions expects to be in a position to reply to the hon. Gentleman shortly.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadcasting Programmes: Children

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effects of long-term changes in the amount of children's programming provided by public service broadcasters on children's cultural experience.

Andy Burnham: UK originated children's television programming is a much valued and important part of the UK's broadcasting environment.
	Ofcom examined the future prospects for public service broadcasting (PSB) for children in its discussion paper 'The Future of Children's Television Programming', published in October last year. In the light of that, the first phase of its second PSB review, published on 10 April, invited comments on the future of children's programming. The responses received will inform the next phase of Ofcom's review, due in the autumn, and the Government's consideration of the future funding of public service provision.

Broadcasting Programmes: Children

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether free to air broadcasters are required to provide a minimum level of dedicated children's programming.

Andy Burnham: The Communications Act 2003 does not require specific quotas of dedicated children's programming. However, the programming commitments of licensed public service broadcasters are set out in their statements of programme policy and they are required to consult and take account of the views of Ofcom on proposals for significant changes to those. In performing its functions, the BBC Trust is also required under the Charter and Agreement to have regard to the purposes of public service television broadcasting set out in section 264 of the Act, including that related to the provision of children's programming, and has currently undertaken to provide CBeebies, a channel for very young children, and CBBC, for the pre-teen audience. Under their service licences, BBC1 and 2 are also required to offer children's programmes.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of his Departmental website.

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many websites his Department operates; how many it operated at 1 January 2005; what costs were incurred in  (a) setting up and developing and (b) operating the websites since their inception; and how many unique visitors those websites received in each year for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department currently operates eight publicly accessible websites.
	
		
			  Website  URL  Status at March 2008 
			 BBC Charter Review http://www.bbccharterreview.org.uk/ Closed 
			 Better Public Buildings http://www.betterublicbuildings.gov.uk Transferred to CABE in 2003 
			 Break Out http://www.culture.gov.uk/breakout/fl/index/htm Live 
			 Casino Advisory panel http://www.culture.gov.uk/cap/ Dorman 
			 Communications Act 2003 http://www.communicationsact.gov.uk/ Closed 
			 Communications Bill http://www.communicationsbill.gov.uk Closed 
			 Communications White Paper http://www.communicationswhitepaper.gov.uk Closed 
			 Culture Online http://www.cultureonline.gov.uk/ Live 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport (main site) http://www.culture.gov.uk Live 
			 Digital Television http://www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk Live 
			 Flying the Union Flag http://www.culture.gov.uk/flagflying/default.htm Live 
			 Gambling Review http://www.gamblingreview.gov.uk/ Closed 
			 Golden Jubilee http://www.goldenjubilee.gov.uk Closed 
			 Golden Jubilee Media Site http://www.goldenjubilee.gov.uk/ Closed 
			 Government Art Collection http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/home/index.asp Live 
			 Lottery 2009 shares consultation http://www.lottery2009.culture.gov.uk/ Live 
			 Mobility of Collections http://www.culture.gov.uk/mobility/ Dormant 
		
	
	The table lists the 17 websites in existence at 1 January 2005 with their status as of March 2008an additional website was created in November 2005:
	http://www.ukworldheritage.org.uk
	
		
			  Development costs 
			
			 2005 228,107 
			 2006 304,992 
			 2007 169,890 
		
	
	These figures include development costs for all websites, extranets, blogs and wikis run by my Department. Figures cannot be calculated for individual sites as my Department does not hold the information in that format. However, the following table indicates where it has been possible to attribute the setup costs to the main culture website (including redevelopment in 2006-07).
	
		
			   
			   Site  Set up  Hosing  c ost  Subtotal 
			 2005-06 DCMS main site and in-house sites 31,097 37,000 68,097 
			  Breakout 17,500  17,500 
			  Creative economy programme 11,337 1,000 12,337 
			  
			 Total maintenance costs 2005-06 
			 2006-07 DCMS main site and sub-sites 23,153 35,993(1) 59,147 
			  Breakout
			  Creative economy programme  1,200 1,200 
			 Total maintenance costs 2006-0760,347 
			 (1) Hosting costs for 2007-08 cover all current websites and extranets for staff and NDPBs. 
		
	
	 Visitor Figures
	My Department does not hold complete visitor figures for 2005.
	
		
			  Website  Unique  v isitors 2006  Unique  v isitors 2007 
			 Agora 6,655 Site closed 
			 BBC Charter Review 104,034 81,879 
			 Break Out Figures not available Figures not available 
			 Casino Advisory Panel Figures not available Figures not available 
			 Communications Act 2003 Figures not available (1)23,334 (re-direct page) 
			 Creative Economy Programme Figures not available Figures not available 
			 Culture Online Figures not available Figures not available 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 896,599 1,361,828 
			 Digital Switchover Figures not available Figures not available 
			 Digital Television 188,779 285,099 
			 Flying the Union Flag Figures not available Figures not available 
			 Government Art Collection 132,485 267,791 
			 Lottery 2009 shares consultation Figures not available Figures not available 
			 Mobility of Collections Figures not available Figures not available 
			 National Lottery Awards Figures not available Figures not available 
			 UK World Heritage Site 5,588 15,466 
			 Where We Live 3,342 4,434 
			 (1) This webpage automatically redirects to the Office of Public Sector Information http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/ukpga_20030021_en_1

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many full-time posts in his Department were filled on a temporary basis for a period in excess of six months in each of the last three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information is in the table:
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of posts 
			 2005-06 2 
			 2006-07 7 
			 2007-08 10

Digital Broadcasting: Television

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the likely benefits of digital terrestrial television technology upgrades for viewers.

Andy Burnham: Recent developments in compression and transmission technologies for digital television signals are providing opportunities to improve the efficiency of the spectrum used for the digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform. Reorganising existing services on the DTT platform in order to utilise these new technologies, will allow for new services such as high definition TV to be provided.

English Sports Council: Publications

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he place in the Library a copy of Sport England's Investing in Our Sporting Future: Sport England Lottery Fund Strategy 1999-2009.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I am arranging for Sport England's document, Investing in Our Sporting Future: Sport England Lottery Fund Strategy 1999-2009 to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Licensing Act 2003

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the evidential basis is for his evaluation of the effects of the Licensing Act 2003 as a mixed picture.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government's evaluation of the impact of the Licensing Act, which was placed in the Library of the House on 4 March 2008, drew on a number of pieces of evidence as set out in that report. The main elements of the evaluation were:
	Scrutiny Councils Initiative: a final report was issued in July 2006 and an update published in 2008;
	Independent Fees Panel Report: published on 25 January 2007;
	Review of the Statutory Guidance: revised Guidance issued on 28 June 2007;
	Live Music Forum Report: published 3 July 2007;
	Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Statistical Bulletin: published on 8 November 2007;
	DCMS Simplification Plan: the 2nd Simplification Plan was published on 4 December 2007;
	Closing times data commissioned by DCMS from CGA Strategy Ltd to analyse actual Saturday closing timespublished on 4 March 2008; and
	Home Office Report on the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on levels of crime and disorder: published on 4 March 2008.

Motorsport Development UK: Finance

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 540W, on Motorsport Development UK, what estimate was made in 2003 of the amount that would be provided to Motorsport Development UK; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It was announced by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) in 2003 that up to 16 million over five years would be required to fund the recommendations of the Motorsport Competitiveness Panel (MCP).
	To date, Motorsport Development UK (MDUK) has spent 11.5 million on the five key priority areas identified by the MCP to support and strengthen the sport and its related industry.
	During a debate in the House of Lords on 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column GC179, Baroness Vadera agreed that a detailed breakdown of spending by MDUK would be provided to the Libraries of the House in due course.

S4C

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people watched S4C on average in each week in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: S4C have confirmed that during the first quarter of 2008, S4C attracted an average weekly reach of 638,000 individuals across the UK during Welsh language hours.

S4C: Finance

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department provided to S4C in each year since 1997.

Andy Burnham: S4C has a statutory, calendar year grant entitlement under section 61 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 (as amended). Under this formula, DCMS grant to S4C in each year since 1997 has been:
	
		
			   Grant ( million) 
			 1997 72.223 
			 1998 74.895 
			 1999 77.134 
			 2000 78.218 
			 2001 80.745 
			 2002 81.468 
			 2003 83.634 
			 2004 85.729 
			 2005 88.690 
			 2006 90.857 
			 2007 94.395

Sports: Young People

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to increase the number of young people engaging in sporting activities.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Through our joint PE and Sport Strategy for Young people (PESSYP), the Department is working with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to increase the take-up of sporting opportunities among five to 19-years-olds.
	Our aim is to sustain and increase current levels of participation by those aged five to 16 in at least two hours of high quality PE and sport at school, and offer five to 19-year-olds at least three hours of sport beyond the school day, delivered by a range of school, community and club providers.
	These ambitions will be realised through a range of programmes and activities delivered through Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust, and will be supported by increases in the number of coaches in schools, and a national network of Competition Managers within School Sport Partnerships.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of corruption in the Afghanistan government; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Corruption is internationally recognised as an issue within the Afghan government and its extent has been researched by a number of organisations. Transparency International's 2007 Corruption Perception Index scored Afghanistan at 1.8, indicating that Afghanistan is an extremely corrupt operating environment (10 = highly clean, 0 = highly corrupt). According to Transparency International, only six countries worldwide are more corrupt than Afghanistan.
	The perception of corruption within Afghanistan is also extremely high. The Asia Foundation's 2007 Survey of the Afghan people found that 74 per cent. of people think that corruption is a major problem in Afghanistan as a whole. The Government regularly raises the need to tackle corruption with the Afghan government and is supporting measures to address the issue.

British Council: China

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to encourage the British Council to increase the number of its offices in China.

Jim Murphy: The British Council's formal status in China (as the Cultural and Educational Section of the British embassy) means the council is restricted to having offices only in the five Chinese cities in which the UK has an embassy or consulate.
	However, the British Council does work across all major cities. For example, last year running its major education fair in Wuhan where it does not have an office. The British Council also runs exams from 40 centres across China and its online presence reaches one million students of English around the country.

China: Science

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the British Council on the improvement of scientific links between China and Britain.

Jim Murphy: There are regular discussions on the improvement of science links between the two countries through the Global Science and Innovation Forum (GSIF), of which the British Council and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are both members.
	The GSIF organises bilateral science and technology joint commissions. The most recent joint commission with China was held on 16 April 2008.
	The British Council already works in this area, for instance through its International Network for Young Scientistsa programme which supports joint research in priority fields.

China: Tibet

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to his recent comments on the Today programme, what the special position is of China with regard to Tibet.

Meg Munn: Successive Governments have regarded Tibet as autonomous while recognising the special position of the Chinese authorities there. We have consistently informed the Chinese government of our view that greater autonomy should be granted to the Tibetans. But like all other EU members, we do not advocate Tibetan independence. We have emphasised that the current political difficulties in Tibet can best be resolved through dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama has stated publicly that he opposes violence and does not seek independence, but greater autonomy for Tibet. We consider that this provides a basis for a negotiated settlement to the issue of Tibet.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of his departmental website.

Jim Murphy: The recent upgrade of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) corporate website is part of a wider project to deliver a new web platform and improved web presence for the FCO over five years.
	The work will provide a single technical platform for all the FCO websites (including the main FCO website, Arabic and Urdu versions of the FCO website, UKvisas website, the FCO Freedom of Information website, and 229 embassy, high commission and special mission sites in multiple languages) as well as new designs, content, functionality and a new hub and spoke model for delivering business support.
	The project will complete in September 2008, by which time all of the FCO Post websites will have joined the new platform and will operate under the central domain, fco.gov.uk.
	The initial cost of 9.7 million for the web platform was set out in the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, on 30 January 2008,  Official Report, column 398W. The project is on target to cost 19.2 million over five years. This includes running costs, for example hosting and support, and some staff salaries. The cost of the project to date is 9.2 million which includes the design and implementation of the FCO and UKvisas websites, and the design of the embassy and high commission websites. It also includes procurement costs, client side advice, setting up regional hubs to provide business support and training. Details of the project and costs were published in Whitehall and Westminster World on 4 April:
	http://www.civilservicenetwork.com/index.php?id=41no_cache=1tx_ttnews[tt_news]=34250tx_ttnews[backPid]=29.
	The web is vital for the delivery of the FCO's Departmental Strategic Objectives. More people, in the UK and overseas, have contact with the FCO through the web than through any other channel. The FCO is committed to using the web to deliver its policy goals, as well as key services such as travel advice and visa information.
	The project has followed the Office of Government Commerce Gateway Review process and is delivering on time and to budget.

Departmental Telephone Services

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) 0800,  (b) 0845 and  (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public are in use by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to his Department.

Meg Munn: There are no 0800, 0845, or 0870 telephone numbers for the public directly in use by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) or its agencies. A contractor, on behalf of consular department of the FCO, runs the Travel Advice service which is accessed via an 0845 number.

Diplomatic Service: Greater London

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance his Department has issued on the liability of diplomats covered by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 for the London congestion charge.

Meg Munn: We informed all foreign missions in the UK by Note Verbale on 18 March 2002 of our view that there are no legal grounds to exempt diplomatic missions from payment of the London congestion charge. We have repeated this view to all missions on a number of occasions, both formally and informally.

Foreign Press Association

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning the operation of the Foreign Press Association; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials meet regularly with Committee members from the Foreign Press Association to discuss its operation.

Foreign Press Association

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons his Department has discontinued its funding of the Foreign Press Association; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not discontinued funding to the Foreign Press Association. In accordance with best financial practice, we review regularly our funding of external organisations.

Foreign Press Association

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider restoring funding to the Foreign Press Association; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Access to funding was restored to the Foreign Press Association in January 2006.

Gaza: Borders

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in securing the return of EU monitors to the Rafah border crossing with Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The EU is ready to consider resuming its border assistance mission at the Rafah crossing, which has been dormant since Hamas took over Gaza last summer, as soon as conditions allow. The EU's High Representative Javier Solana, and the EU Special Representative to the middle east peace process continue to engage Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the re-opening of the crossing.
	We continue to call on all parties to work urgently to reopen the Gaza crossings. We look forward to the resumption of normal operations at the crossings under Palestinian Authority control. With my European colleagues I have continued to call for the continuous provision of essential goods and services, including fuel and power supplies from Israel into Gaza. With other EU Foreign Ministers, I have also announced our support for the Palestinian Authority's proposal to take control of the crossings.

Health Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department provides health or social care services out of public funds, with reference to the Statement by the Minister of State, Department of Health, in the Health and Social Care Bill Committee, of 17 January 2008,  Official Report, column 327.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not provide health and social care services. It does however fund arrangements for UK civil servants and their families whom it employs overseas to receive the range and standard of health and social care services that they would be able to access under the national health service and from Social Services in the UK.

JP Morgan

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department paid to JP Morgan in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of each payment was.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no record of any payments made in the UK to JP Morgan since 1997. It would incur disproportionate cost to obtain details from posts about any payments they may have made to this supplier.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the value was of each contract awarded by his Department to Karian and Box since 1997.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and FCO Services have no record of any contracts being awarded to Karian and Box since 1997.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations since the Conference in Annapolis; and what his assessment is of both parties' compliance with  (a) international law and  (b) the framework set out in the 2003 Roadmap.

Kim Howells: The UK continues to support the ongoing negotiations led by Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas; Israeli Foreign Minister Livni and Palestinian Chief Negotiator Ahmed Qurei; and Israeli Defence Minister Barak and Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad. We welcome Israeli Defence Minister Barak's announcement that as a result of discussions on 31 March, there will be improved movement and access inside the West Bank. This demonstrates the importance of the ongoing discussions at a high level between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Government.
	The UK has consistently called for all sides to abide by international law. We have made clear that Israeli settlement activities are illegal under international law. The UK welcomed the renewed commitment both sides made at Annapolis to the 2003 Roadmap. Both sides need to work to fulfil their obligations under the Roadmap. The Roadmap is clear that Israel must freeze all settlement activity and that the Palestinian Authority must develop an effective security apparatus.

Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 591-2W, on departmental official residences, what guidance he issues on the tax liability of  (a) Ministers of the Crown in any official ministerial residence and  (b) former Ministers of the Crown occupying official ministerial residences.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the Parliamentary Secretary, the Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for (Mr. Watson) gave to him on 13 March,  Official Report, columns 591-592W. Former Ministers continue to be responsible for tax liability associated with ancillary services in official residences, while they make arrangements to move to other accommodation.

Pakistan: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of steps taken by the new government in Pakistan on improving human rights and democratic governance.

Kim Howells: We welcome the statements made by Pakistani Prime Minister Gillani in his address to the National Assembly on 29 March, when he set out his priorities for the first 100 days of his coalition government. He announced measures for democratic reform, indicating that he wished to promote greater parliamentary accountability and engage civil society in the process of strengthening democratic institutions. He called for a revival of trade and student unions and also undertook to revoke laws against press freedom, improve freedom of information legislation and establish a review commission to examine the issue of political prisoners.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether all the funding pledges made at the 2007 Paris Donor Conference for aid to the Palestinians have been disbursed to the Palestinian Authority; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The 2007 Paris Donor Conference resulted in US$7.7 billion of pledges being made to the Palestinian Authority. These pledges are to be disbursed over the next three years. Therefore the complete US$7.7 billion has not yet reached the Palestinian Authority. The UK pledged to contribute 243 million over three years linked to tangible progress in peace negotiations.
	On 2 April my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development announced the disbursement of 32 million for Palestinians in 2008. This money forms part of our Paris pledge and was in response to a request from Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad. We hope our lead will be followed by other donors.
	We expect further discussion of this at the next Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting, which the UK and Norway will jointly chair in London on 2 May.

Western Sahara: Human Rights

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the British ambassador in Rabat is monitoring the human rights situation in the occupied Western Sahara; and when the ambassador last visited the occupied territories.

Kim Howells: Our ambassador in Rabat and his staff monitor human rights in Western Sahara. They maintain a close and continual dialogue with local and international non-governmental organisations working in the territory.
	Our ambassador has not visited the territory, but members of his staff have done so.

Yemen: Politics and Government

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in southern Yemen.

David Miliband: Civil unrest over economic and social issues is growing, especially in the south of Yemen. Most of the grievances are shared nationally: lack of jobs, the rising prices of basic commodities including fuel and food and an inadequate safety net for the genuinely needy. Some southerners are calling for secession from the north and a return to two states, as before 1990. Most Yemenis want a single Yemen and national unity remains safe. But the Government of Yemen needs to address the issues that are generating discontent in the south of their country.

Zimbabwe: Overseas Residence

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of British nationals resident in Zimbabwe.

David Miliband: Our embassy in Harare has recently conducted a re-registration campaign for British nationals in Zimbabwe. As a result, we estimate that approximately 14,000 people are eligible for British consular support. The embassy is in regular contact with registered British nationals via the well established wardens network across the country.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no record of any payments made in the UK to Zurich Financial Services since 1997. It would incur disproportionate cost to obtain details from posts about any payments they may have made to this supplier.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Biofuels: Sustainable Development

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2007,  Official Report, column 2112W, on biofuels, what steps he has taken to ensure palm oil is not used in biofuel without a declaration relating to its sustainable sourcing; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	Under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), which came into effect on 15 April, transport fuel suppliers are required to report on the sustainability of any biofuels in respect of which they wish to earn renewable transport fuel certificates. Details of the reporting requirements are available via the Renewable Fuels Agency's website at http://www.dft.gov.uk/rfa. The Renewable Fuels Agency will report regularly on the performance of different transport fuel suppliers. The Government are pressing for EU-wide mandatory sustainability standards for all biofuels: these could be in place by April 2010.

Heating: EC Law

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his assessment is of the suitability of the criteria used in the Energy-using Products Directive for the measurement of boiler energy efficiency.

Joan Ruddock: The European Commission issued a working document on boilers and water heaters on 31 January. This is a first draft of the Commission's proposed implementing measure on these products under the Framework Directive on the Eco Design of Energy using Products.
	The proposals have been assessed by experts working on the Market Transformation Programme and this analysis, together with the views expressed by industry, have been instrumental in developing the Government's position on this. The Government have concerns with both the approach put forward in the working document, and the underlying model used to inform this. The Government made this position clear at a meeting of the Consultation Forum on 28 February and in subsequent written comments. Officials have also spoken to the Commission bilaterally to highlight these concerns and try to agree a way forward.

New Forest Official Verderer

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  for what reason the appointment of the next Official Verderer of the New Forest has not been announced; and when the announcement is to be made;
	(2)  whether it is planned that there will be a gap following the expiry of the term of the current Official Verderer before either he is reappointed or another candidate is appointed; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 24 April 2008
	An announcement regarding the appointment of the next Official Verderer of the New Forest will be made in due course.

Packaging: Drinks

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will introduce a national deposit system for drinks containers to encourage the public to return used drinks containers to where they were bought from.

Joan Ruddock: We will be looking at a range of ideas to improve the collection of material for recycling, including drinks containers consumed inside and outside of the home. Looking at deposit schemes will be part of this work.
	Any solutions have to make both environmental and economic sense if they are to be successful. In the past, deposit and return schemes have been phased out in this country because they did not make financial sense for the operating companies. We would only support the re-introduction of such systems if they delivered environmental benefits in a practical and cost-effective way.

Recycling

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what tonnage of material leaving materials recovery facilities was sent to another materials recovery facility for further treatment in the last 12 months.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA does not hold the information requested. Local authorities are not required to report material sent from one materials recovery facility to another.

Recycling

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what tonnage of materials collected for recycling from households was delivered to the gates of materials recovery facilities in the last 12 months.

Joan Ruddock: During 2006-07, the latest complete validated data available, 1.3 million tonnes of municipal waste collected for recycling in England was sent to a materials recovery facility for further treatment. This is based on data reported by local authorities to WasteDataFlow.

Recycling

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what tonnage of materials collected for recycling from households was rejected at the gate of a  (a) materials recovery facility and  (b) recycling processor in the last 12 months.

Joan Ruddock: During 2006-07, the latest complete validated data available, local authorities reported a total of 89,000 tonnes collected for recycling from household sources as rejected for disposal at a materials recovery facility and a further 32,000 tonnes that were rejected at the gate of a recycling processor. This is based on data reported by local authorities to WasteDataFlow.

Recycling

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to maximise the proportion of recovered materials that reach end reprocessors in a clean state.

Joan Ruddock: A number of factors determine the quality of recyclable materials, including market price, source, and methods of collection and separation. The Government provide support and advice on recycling to businesses and local authorities via the DEFRA-funded waste and resources action programme (WRAP).

Recycling

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tonnes of materials were sent from materials recovery facilities to  (a) landfill sites and  (b) energy from waste facilities in the last 12 months.

Joan Ruddock: Of the 89,000 tonnes of municipal waste collected for recycling in 2006-07 and rejected at a materials recovery facility, 55,000 tonnes were sent to landfill and nearly 34,000 tonnes were sent for incineration with energy recovery. This is based on data reported by local authorities to WasteDataFlow.

Tree Preservation Orders: Guildford

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1130W, on tree preservation orders: Guildford, what the latest timetable is for the disposal of the Epsom Road site.

Joan Ruddock: The current disposal timetable for the Epsom road site is:
	(a) the tender closing date is noon on 4 April 2008;
	(b) all bidders will be advised no later than 19 May 2008; and
	(c) legal completion of the sale is expected to take place on or before 2 July 2008.
	The timings of (b) and (c) may be subject to variation in response to the written bids received.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Children

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were  (a) cautioned,  (b) prosecuted and  (c) given a penalty notice for disorder for knowingly consuming alcohol on licensed premises in each of the last two years.

Vernon Coaker: The number of young persons under 18 who were issued with a reprimand or final warning, penalty notice for disorder, or proceeded against at magistrates courts for the offence of knowingly consuming alcohol by an under 18 on relevant premises in England and Wales for the years 2005 to 2006 can be viewed in the attached tables 1 and 2.
	From June 2000, cautions for offenders under 18 years old were replaced by reprimands and final warnings.
	
		
			  N umber of young persons under 18 years issued with a reprimand or final warning, and proceeded against at magistrates' courts for a certain alcohol offence in England and Wales for the years 2005 - 06( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 
			   2005  2006 
			  Offence description  Proceeded against  Reprimanded/final warning( 3) 
			 Individual aged under 18 knowingly consumes alcohol.  2 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Individual aged under 18 knowingly consumes alcohol. Licensing Act 2003 S.150 (1)  (3) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. Reprimands and final warnings are included in the above data.  (4) The Licensing Act 2003 came into force on 24 November 2005.  (5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source:  Court proceedings data held by RDS - Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  N umber of persons issued with a penalty notice for disorder for the offence of consumption of alcohol by under 18 on relevant premises in England and Wales for the years 2006 - 06( 1, 2, 3, 4,) 
			   Number 
			 2005 84 
			 2006 75 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Consumption of alcohol by a person under 18 on relevant premises. Licensing Act 2003 S.150(1)  (3) New legislative reference with effect from 24 November 2005.  (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDS - Office for Criminal Justice Reform - Ministry of Justice

Asylum

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of asylum applications received but not yet determined at the latest date for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The number of cases recorded as awaiting an initial decision and the number of cases recorded as awaiting an appeal determination is published quarterly and annually. Copies of asylum statistics publications are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Bail

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  for what duration a non-terrorist suspect may be held on continuous bail without being charged; how many times during that period bail may be renewed; and how long a suspect may be held in custody after reporting in at the time limit of continuous bail before bail is renewed again without a charge being brought;
	(2)  for how long a non-terrorist suspect may be held in custody without being charged before any type of bail is set;
	(3)  what powers the police have to hold in custody a non-terrorist suspect who has not been charged with any offence but who has broken the time limit for continuous bail; and for how long such a suspect may be held in custody for breaking bail.

Tony McNulty: Part IV of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 sets out the statutory time limit of 96 hours for an arrested person to be detained at a police station. The custody officer is required to consider whether reasonable grounds exist to believe that detention without charge is necessary or whether bail should be granted. The detention of a person is subject to review by the Review Officer and consideration of extensions of detention from 24 hours to 36 hours is subject to the authority of a Superintendent. Any period in excess of 36 hours is subject to the authority of a magistrate. The detainee must be charged with an offence or referred to the CPS for a charging decision when the custody officer considers there is a realistic prospect of conviction. When bail is granted prior to charge, any time the suspect spends at the police station in answering bail counts towards the detention time limits set out in PACE.
	There are no statutory time limits on the period for which a suspect may be released on bail or on the number of occasions in which bail may be granted.

Community Calls to Action

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the provisions relating to community calls to action introduced under the Police and Justice Act 2006 have not been implemented.

Tony McNulty: The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act contained an amendment to Section 19 of the Police and Justice Act 2006. This amendment brought together the two models for Community Calls for Actions. The Home Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government are now working together to develop plans for implementation.
	We have always been clear that the implementation of these provisions would need to give proper consideration to the wider local accountability agenda. We are therefore keen to ensure that implementation of these provisions properly takes into account the findings of Sir Ronnie Flanagan's independent review of policing, along with the proposals to be set out in both Louise Casey's review 'Connecting Communities with the fight against crime' and the Home Office's Policing Green Paper both of which will be published later this year.

Community Policing

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to extend the initiative of distributing in areas of high crime key fobs bearing the name, photograph and contact details of community police officers; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: By April 2008, every community in England and Wales will have a neighbourhood policing team of police officers and police community support officers in place. The teams are dedicated to working with their local communities, agreeing priorities for action and informing the public of their progress. This engagement process has already begun in many places and it will now be developed and extended across all areas of England and Wales.
	A new 'Name in Every Neighbourhood' campaign will be running for the coming weeks to make sure people in all areas know their own local Neighbourhood Policing team and how to contact them.
	Local communications activity will vary from force to force as they pursue a number of different ideas and innovations to build familiarity and understanding in the most effective manner to suit local circumstances.

Community Policing

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent requests she has received from foreign  (a) governments and  (b) police forces for information on community policing methods in the UK.

Tony McNulty: The successful implementation of neighbourhood policing across England and Wales has attracted wide interest and Home Office officials have met with delegations from foreign governments and police forces including Serbia, Mongolia, the United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan about neighbourhood policing in the UK.
	During the Anglo-French summit in London on 27 March my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary met with her colleague, Michele Alliot-Marie, the Minister of the Interior, Overseas France and Local Authorities, and agreed that we would hold a neighbourhood policing seminar in Paris in May.

Community Support Officers: Powers

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to review the powers of police community support officers in different parts of the country.

Tony McNulty: The National Policing Improvement Agency is currently conducting a review relating to the PCSO role, including powers.
	The review is expected to report this summer and to make recommendations. PCSOs derive their powers from Section 38A of the Police Reform Act 2002. Under the provisions of the Act, the Secretary of State introduced on 1 December 2007 a list of standard powers that apply to all PCSOs in England and Wales. The Home Office has just completed the 2007 audit of current PCSO powers. The results are being analysed and will be placed on the Home Office website in May 2008. A table giving the results of the 2006 PCSO Powers audit may be found on the website at:
	http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/community-policing
	The webpage also provides the list of the standard and discretionary powers available to PCSOs.

Crimes of Violence: Maldon

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Maldon and East Chelmsford constituency in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) area level. The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Crimes of Violence: Wandsworth

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person have been recorded in  (a) Putney constituency and  (b) the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Statistics are not collected specifically on a constituency basis. The Home Office does publish statistics at crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) area level (including Wandsworth). The number of offences of violence against the person for each of the last five years by CDRP is available on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrpog.xls
	Also available is a look-up table that identifies which constituencies are associated with CDRPs. In many instances, a CDRP may comprise of more than one constituency. Conversely, some constituencies will come within two or more CDRPs, either wholly or partially. The look-up table is available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/cdrp-constituency-table.xls
	Copies of both the statistics table and the look-up table are available in the Library.

Criminal Records

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the population had a criminal record in each year since 1980.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information which has been requested is not routinely collected.
	Figures on the proportions of the population with a criminal history in England and Wales can be found in 'Criminal careers of those born between 1953 and 1978' at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/hosb401.pdf
	The bulletin gives figures for offenders who have had a court conviction for a 'standard list' offence. 'Standard list' offences include all indictable and certain of the more serious summary offences. This publication follows those born in particular years to analyse the percentage of the population with a criminal history. The years followed are 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973 and 1978. Table 1 of the publication shows that by the age of 45 32.6 per cent. of males and 8.7 per cent. of females born in 1953 had a criminal record in England and Wales.

Demonstrations: Parliament Square

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what representations she has received on the removal of banners and other materials from Parliament Square; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  on which occasions banners and other materials have been removed by the police from Parliament Square; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The removal of banners and other materials from Parliament Square is a matter for the Metropolitan Police and the Greater London Authority in as far as Parliament Square Garden is concerned.
	We have received representations from a number of Members of Parliament, Peers and members of the public who have expressed concern about the tents, mess and noise from the permanent encampment opposite Carriage Gates.
	I am informed by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police that on 23 May 2006 the police took action to seize Mr Haw's banners following his failure to comply with the terms of some of the conditions which had been imposed by the police on his demonstration.
	Having consulted widely on managing protests around Parliament and having considered the arguments on how best to balance competing rights in the context of a dynamic security situation, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor announced on 25 March that we are proposing to repeal sections 132 to 138 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. In moving to repeal these provisions, we are also inviting the views of Parliament on whether additional provision is needed to ensure that the operation of Parliament is safeguarded. Our view is that Parliament is well placed to decide what needs to be secured to ensure that Members of both Houses are able freely to discharge their responsibilities. We invite their views on whether additional provisions is needed, for example to keep open the passages leading to the Palace of Westminster and to ensure that excessive noise is not used to disrupt the working of Parliament.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by her Department and its agencies on  (a) alcohol and  (b) entertaining in the last 12 month period for which information is available.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office systems do not separately identify the costs requested and they could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However we do retain records for hospitality provided by both civil servants and Ministers. The spend for 2006-07, the last 12 month period for which there are audited figures, was 91,829.
	Home Office expenditure on official hospitality and entertainment conforms to departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which complies with the principles of Government Accounting and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety. Hospitality is defined as the provision of food, drink and entertainment of non civil servants where it is beneficial to the interests of the Department.
	For the Department's agencies, the Criminal Records Bureau spend on hospitality was nil and the Identity and Passport Service's spend could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Detention Centres: Children

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were held in immigration removal centres at the latest date for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office publishes a quarterly snapshot of people detained solely under Immigration Act powers on the last Saturday of each quarter, including the number of people recorded as being under 18 at the time of the snapshot. The latest published information pertains to persons detained as at 29 December 2007 and is published in the quarterly web-based Asylum Statistics bulletin.
	Children are detained only in two limited circumstances: first, as part of a family group whose detention is considered appropriate; second, when unaccompanied, while alternative care arrangements are made (and normally only overnight). While the detention of families with children is very regrettable, it nevertheless remains necessary in appropriate cases in order to maintain an effective immigration control and to tackle abuses of the asylum and immigration system. We are currently piloting an alternative to detention for families with children at an accommodation centre in Kent.
	The number of children detained with their families under Immigration Act powers will change from day to day. However, internal management information shows that, as at 26 March 2008, there were 30 children detained with their families under Immigration Act powers. These figures are not broken down into asylum and non-asylum cases. These individuals were all detained as part of families whose detention, as a group was considered necessary.
	Published statistics on immigration and asylum are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Driving Offences

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists were  (a) charged with and  (b) convicted of (i) failure to accord precedence at pedestrian crossings, (ii) failure to comply with traffic signs, (iii) speeding offences, (iv) driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs, (v) reckless driving and (vi) driving while disqualified in (A) in each police force area and (B) England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: I refer the hon. Member to answer I gave him on 29 November 2007,  Official Report, column 664W.

Drugs: Misuse

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those brought into a police station tested positively for Class A drugs in each year since 1997; and what proportion of those voluntarily agreed to treatment.

Vernon Coaker: With regard to the percentage of those brought into a police station who test positive for Class A drugs, drug testing of offenders for specified Class A drugs (heroin and cocaine/crack) in police custody came into operation from 2003 across 30 BCUs as part of the drug interventions programme. Since that time the programme has expanded in a phased approach to 66 BCUs in 2004 and some 107 BCUs in 2005.
	Only offenders arrested or charged with a trigger offencelargely acquisitive crime related offencesare required to provide a sample to be tested for specified Class A drugs.
	Between 2003 and 2005 the programme operated drug testing at the point of charge; from 2005 to the present time the programme operated drug testing at the point of arrest. The average rate of positive tests for specified Class A drugs for offenders charged with a trigger offence was:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 2003-04 54 
			 2004-05 46 
			 2005-06 45 
			 2006-07 37 
		
	
	The figure for number of offenders entering treatment through DIP includes individuals from both DIP intensive areas (i.e. the 107 BCUs operating drug testing and related interventions) and the non intensive areas of the programme. Offenders from the DIP non intensive BCUs are not drug tested.
	The data on the proportion of those who test positive and voluntarily agree to treatment are not available in the format requested. The drug interventions programme does not routinely hold data on those entering treatment only as a result of a positive drug test.
	From 2003 the numbers of offenders entering treatment voluntarily through the drug interventions programme are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003-04 1,950 
			 2004-05 16,517 
			 2005-06 24,557 
			 2006-07 39,903 
		
	
	Since the programme began in April 2003 to January 2008, almost 120,000 drug misusing offenders have entered into treatment through DIP.

Entry Clearances: Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2008,  Official Report, column 796W, on entry clearances: employment, how many dependants of work permit holders who were aged under 16 years were given leave to enter the UK in each year from 1997 to 2003; and how many were from each of the 20 most numerous nationalities in each of those years.

Liam Byrne: The requested figures are in the tables provided.
	Home Office Statistical publications are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
	
		
			  Passengers recorded as aged under 16, given leave to enter the United Kingdom as dependants of work permit holders, 1997 to 2003 
			  1997 
			  Country of nationality  Aged 15 and under 
			 USA 3,520 
			 Japan 1,685 
			 Korea (South) 690 
			 India 630 
			 Australia 415 
			 South Africa 310 
			 Canada 290 
			 Russia 170 
			 Saudi Arabia 160 
			 China 135 
			 Pakistan 130 
			 Israel 100 
			 Nigeria 95 
			 Iran 95 
			 Malaysia 95 
			 Switzerland 90 
			 New Zealand 80 
			 Egypt 80 
			 Brazil 65 
			 Poland 60 
			 Rest of the World 855 
			 Total 9,755 
		
	
	
		
			  1998 
			  Country of nationality  Aged 15 and under 
			 USA 3,590 
			 Japan 1,480 
			 India 815 
			 Australia 540 
			 South Africa 470 
			 Canada 345 
			 Korea (South) 295 
			 China 155 
			 Russia 150 
			 Pakistan 145 
			 Nigeria 120 
			 New Zealand 105 
			 Egypt 95 
			 Israel 90 
			 Malaysia 85 
			 Switzerland 75 
			 Brazil 70 
			 Bulgaria 70 
			 Hungary 70 
			 Turkey 55 
			 Rest of the World 975 
			 Total 9,800 
		
	
	
		
			  1999 
			  Country of nationality  Aged 15 and under 
			 USA 3,720 
			 Japan 1,480 
			 India 1,040 
			 South Africa 625 
			 Australia 570 
			 Canada 370 
			 Korea (South) 365 
			 Russia 255 
			 China 200 
			 Pakistan 180 
			 Nigeria 170 
			 New Zealand 120 
			 Israel 115 
			 Malaysia 95 
			 Egypt 85 
			 Switzerland 80 
			 Iran 70 
			 Bulgaria 65 
			 Trinidad  Tobago 65 
			 Brazil 60 
			 Rest of the World 1,270 
			 Total 10,990 
		
	
	
		
			  2000 
			  Country of nationality  Aged 15 and under 
			 USA 4,015 
			 India 1,375 
			 Japan 1,340 
			 South Africa 650 
			 Australia 605 
			 Canada 390 
			 Korea (South) 275 
			 Russia 225 
			 China 220 
			 Nigeria 220 
			 Pakistan 215 
			 Israel 155 
			 Saudi Arabia 145 
			 New Zealand 140 
			 Philippines 130 
			 Zimbabwe 115 
			 Bulgaria 105 
			 Malaysia 105 
			 Egypt 95 
			 Hungary 85 
			 Rest of the World 1,555 
			 Total 12,175 
		
	
	
		
			  2001 
			  Country of nationality  Aged 15 and under 
			 USA 2,795 
			 India 1,985 
			 Japan 1,145 
			 South Africa 985 
			 Australia 845 
			 Philippines 735 
			 Pakistan 330 
			 Canada 320 
			 Zimbabwe 305 
			 Nigeria 290 
			 Korea (South) 240 
			 China 215 
			 New Zealand 190 
			 Malaysia 155 
			 Israel 145 
			 Russia 145 
			 Zambia 120 
			 Egypt 110 
			 Jamaica 105 
			 Saudi Arabia 100 
			 Rest of the World 1,870 
			 Total 13,130 
		
	
	
		
			  2002 
			  Country of nationality  Aged 15 and under 
			 USA 2,555 
			 India 2,385 
			 Philippines 1,630 
			 Japan 1,080 
			 South Africa 970 
			 Australia 715 
			 Zimbabwe 395 
			 Pakistan 380 
			 Nigeria 365 
			 China 325 
			 Canada 310 
			 Korea (South) 220 
			 Zambia 185 
			 Malaysia 175 
			 New Zealand 170 
			 Russia 160 
			 Ghana 140 
			 Kenya 125 
			 Israel 125 
			 Bulgaria 110 
			 Rest of the World 2,020 
			 Total 14,535 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 
			  Country of nationality  Aged 15 and under 
			 India 3,155 
			 USA 2,150 
			 Philippines 1,900 
			 Japan 855 
			 South Africa 795 
			 Zimbabwe 750 
			 Australia 575 
			 Pakistan 565 
			 Nigeria 500 
			 China 425 
			 Canada 285 
			 Zambia 255 
			 Ghana 200 
			 Malaysia 195 
			 Korea (South) 190 
			 Bulgaria 185 
			 Poland 140 
			 New Zealand 125 
			 Russia 120 
			 Kenya 105 
			 Rest of the World 2,140 
			 Total 15,615 
			  Notes: 1. Data rounded to the nearest five, therefore they do not sum to the total shown. 2. Includes nationals of Switzerland before 1 June 2002, but excludes them from this date. 3. This information is not published as National Statistics. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

Entry Clearances: Kenya

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place for checking for tuberculosis in people seeking to enter the UK from  (a) Kenya and  (b) South Africa.

Liam Byrne: Since February 2007 Kenyan nationals travelling from Kenya, seeking entry to the UK for more than six months, have been required to undergo tuberculosis screening in Kenya before applying for a visa. Those found to have infectious tuberculosis must complete a course of treatment before being issued with a visa.
	Nationals from countries where there is a high incidence of tuberculosis, who are seeking entry for more than six months, are referred to the Port Medical Inspector at major ports, who will screen them for tuberculosis by means of an x-ray. This includes passengers from South Africa. If their x-ray is positive then they would be referred to their local community unit for further diagnosis and treatment.

Institute for Animal Health: Pirbright

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are any on-going police investigations relating to the escape of foot and mouth virus from Pirbright Laboratory which are not related to any on-going legal proceedings.

Tony McNulty: Any ongoing police investigations relating to the escape of foot and mouth virus from Pirbright Laboratory, whether or not they are related to any ongoing legal proceedings, are a matter for Surrey police.

Metropolitan Police: Recruitment

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home 
	(1)  Department how many  (a) new recruits,  (b) graduate recruits and  (c) graduate recruits with first or upper second class degrees there were to the Metropolitan police in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much the Metropolitan police spent on  (a) recruitment and  (b) other advertising in each of the last five years; and what the budget is for 2008-09.

Tony McNulty: This information is not held centrally. This is a matter for the Commissioner of the Metropolitan police.

Metropolitan Police: Recruitment

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were recruited to the Metropolitan Police in each year since 1997; and what proportion were recruited directly from other police forces in each year.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 759W.

Metropolitan Police: Recruitment

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in  (a) Essex,  (b) Thames Valley,  (c) Hertfordshire,  (d) Bedfordshire,  (e) Kent,  (f) Suffolk,  (g) Sussex,  (h) Surrey and  (i) Hampshire sought application forms to join the Metropolitan Police Force in each of the last three years and subsequently made a formal application; and how many Metropolitan Police Force officers (i) sought application forms to join each of these forces and (ii) subsequently made a formal application, in the same period.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not collected centrally within the police personnel statistics series.
	The numbers of officers who transfer between specific police forces cannot be derived from the centrally collected data.

Offenders: Deportation

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the replies of the Chief Executive of the Border and Immigration Agency to questions 36 to 38 of her evidence session before the Home Affairs Committee on 15 January 2008, how many prisoners are held in detention awaiting deportation or removal following the completion of their custodial sentence; how many have  (a) served a sentence of more than four years and  (b) received their sentence for an offence of a violent or sexual nature; if she will break down these prisoners by nationality; and what the longest period spent in detention following completion of sentence is for which such a prisoner currently held in detention has been held.

Liam Byrne: The Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency has written to the Home Affairs Committee on several occasions over the past 18 months and provided the most robust and accurate information available on the detention of foreign national prisoners. She explained in her letter of 20 November 2007 that there were around 1,500 foreign prisoners detained past completion of their custodial sentence awaiting deportation and also confirmed in her letter of 17 December 2007 that 1,200 of these were detained within the UK Border Agency's detention estate.
	She also explained in her letter of 18 February that there are currently around 250 sentence-expired foreign prisoners from countries where we encounter difficulties in enforcing removal who have been detained under immigration powers beyond nine months. At the session of 15 January she explained that a significant number of foreign criminals come from Jamaica, Nigeria, China and Vietnam. Copies of these letters are available in the Library of the House.

Police National Computer: Personal Records

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received from the Data Protection Commissioner on the accuracy of criminal records held on the Police National Computer; and what estimate she has made of the  (a) number and  (b) percentage of criminal records held on the Police National Computer which contain significant inaccuracies or errors.

Tony McNulty: The Data Protection Commissioner was superseded by the Information Commissioner on 30 January 2001, as a consequence of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I am not aware of any representations received from the Information Commissioner on the accuracy, number and percentage of criminal records with inaccuracies held on the police national computer. Each criminal record is owned by the originating police force and as such is responsible for the accuracy of the content of the data.

Police Stations

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many police stations there were per 1,000 head of population in  (a) non-rural and  (b) rural areas in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many police stations were operational in each police force area  (a) in each year since 1997 and  (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: The Department does not hold the information requested centrally, and this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Police Stations: Greater London

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police stations in the Metropolitan Police force area  (a) closed and  (b) opened in each of the last 10 years.

Tony McNulty: The management of the Metropolitan Police estate and allocation of resources is a matter for the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner who are responsible for assessing local needs.

Police: Civil Proceedings

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) successful and  (b) unsuccessful cases were brought by members of the public against the police force for (i) malicious prosecution, (ii) false imprisonment and (iii) assault in each year since 1997; and how much compensation was paid in respect of each case successfully brought.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not held centrally.

Police: Dismissal

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statutory power the Government have to require the dismissal of chief constables.

Tony McNulty: Under section 11 of the Police Act 1996 as amended a Police Authority can require a chief officer to retire or resign in the interests of efficiency or effectiveness, provided the police authority has the approval of the Home Secretary. Under section 42 of the Act the Home Secretary can require a police authority to exercise this power.

Police: Evidence

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are trained to handle digital evidence; and how many police officers are  (a) serving with computer crime units and  (b) have higher level forensic skills.

Tony McNulty: All police officers receive basic level training in the handling of digital evidence. The number of police officers serving with computer crime units and who have higher forensic skills is not held centrally.

Police: Females

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of police officers in each police force area were women in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is published annually in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin series Police Service Strength, England and Wales. The bulletins are available in the Library of the House, and can be downloaded from the publications link within the Research Development and Statistics directorate website located at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.html

Police: Finance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much and what proportion of  (a) Government spending and  (b) gross domestic product was spent on policing in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Table 1: Government spending on policing 
			  Percentage 
			  Financial year  As a proportion of total general government expenditure( 1)  As a proportion of GDP 
			 1997-98 5.5 1.0 
			 1998-99 5.6 1.0 
			 1999-2000 5.4 1.0 
			 2000-01 5.2 1.0 
			 2001-02 5.3 1.0 
			 2002-03 5.2 1.0 
			 2003-04 5.2 1.1 
			 2004-05 5.1 1.1 
			 2005-06 5.2 1.1 
			 2006-07 5.3 1.1 
			 (1)( )Local and central Government final consumption expenditure for police as a share of total general government final consumption expenditure.  Source:  National Accounts 2007, The Blue Book (Office of National Statistics (ONS)), GDP Deflators at Market Prices, and Money GDP March 2008 (ONS).

Police: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the average Band D council tax police precept is in  (a) England,  (b) Wales and  (c) England and Wales for 2008-09;
	(2)  what the Band D council tax precept of each police authority in England and Wales is for  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09; and what the average Band D precept for (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) England and Wales is for each of those two years.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Police  p recept (Band D) set by  p olice  a uthorities in 2007 - 08 and 2008 - 09 
			   
			  Police authority  2007-08 precept (Band D)  2008-09 precept (Band D) 
			 Avon and Somerset 147.17 154.32 
			 Bedfordshire 123.43 135.28 
			 Cambridgeshire 149.40 156.87 
			 Cheshire 116.03 135.75 
			 Cleveland 158.10 173.87 
			 Cumbria 171.09 179.46 
			 Derbyshire 141.91 148.44 
			 Devon and Cornwall 131.73 142.19 
			 Dorset 156.51 164.25 
			 Durham 135.72 142.47 
			 Essex 116.46 122.22 
			 Gloucestershire 179.49 188.45 
			 Greater Manchester 116.19 124.90 
			 Hampshire 125.37 135.54 
			 Hertfordshire 130.17 136.67 
			 Humberside 149.58 156.31 
			 Kent 122.18 128.25 
			 Lancashire 125.95 135.96 
			 Leicestershire 138.96 160.40 
			 Lincolnshire 131.58 235.35 
			 Merseyside 127.53 133.91 
			 Metropolitan 223.60 227.02 
			 Norfolk 164.88 178.56 
			 Northamptonshire 170.21 178.62 
			 Northumbria 74.62 78.27 
			 North Yorkshire 185.40 193.37 
			 Nottinghamshire 138.78 145.62 
			 South Yorkshire 118.92 124.56 
			 Staffordshire 160.15 166.16 
			 Suffolk 137.34 149.67 
			 Surrey 171.27 187.92 
			 Sussex 122.67 128.70 
			 Thames Valley 139.19 144.76 
			 Warwickshire 145.90 164.68 
			 West Mercia 157.66 165.45 
			 West Midlands 91.47 94.67 
			 West Yorkshire 118.02 123.62 
			 Wiltshire 139.35 145.34 
			 England average 147.90 156.69 
			
			 Dyfed-Powys 157.68 165.51 
			 Gwent 159.94 167.14 
			 North Wales 178.16 186.18 
			 South Wales 132.74 139.38 
			 Wales average 153.03 160.32 
			
			 England and Wales average 148.21 156.91 
			  Source: English Police Authorities - DCLG Welsh Police Authorities - WAG

Police: Finance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average  (a) total direct staff cost,  (b) total operational support cost,  (c) total business support cost,  (d) total cost excluding sustaining overhead was under activity-based costing analysis for providing police assistance for (i) a road traffic accident, (ii) public disorder, (iii) a missing person and (iv) a sudden or suspicious death in each financial year since 2004.

Tony McNulty: Data on the average cost of police assistance in dealing with non-crime incidents are not currently available, but will become available for the first time later this year.

Police: Finance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the police of  (a) protecting (i) the British Royal Family, (ii) foreign royals and Heads of State, (iii) Ministers, (iv) members of foreign governments, (v) other British VIPs and (vi) other foreign VIPs and  (b) of anti-terrorism, Special Branch duties and other national policing was under activity-based costing analysis in each financial year since 2004.

Tony McNulty: In relation to question  (a), the Home Office Dedicated Security Posts (DSP) Grant provides the central contribution to the policing costs for the protection of the Royal Family and VIPs, including visiting VIPs. This annual grant also covers the cost of protecting the residences of the Royal Family and VIPs as well as wider counter terrorism protective security functions including Special Branch policing at ports. The grant is currently allocated based on projected requirements at the beginning of the financial year.
	The DSP grant between 2004-05 and 2007-08 was 212.4 million. In 2008-09 it increased to 224,815,322.
	For security reasons, we do not provide a breakdown of this grant in respect of Royalty and VIP protective security functions. This is because to do so could compromise the integrity of those arrangements and affect the security of those concerned.
	In relation to question  (b), the Government make specific grants to the police in respect of counter terrorism policing in addition to the Dedicated Security Posts (DSP) grant. In the years requested these grants have more than trebled as the following table shows:
	
		
			   Total  ( million) 
			 2004-05 84 
			 2005-06 105 
			 2006-07 197 
			 2007-08 251 
		
	
	However, the Home Office does not hold information centrally on the total cost to the police service for counter-terrorism and other national policing work in the format requested. Such data could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Police: Finance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average  (a) total direct staff cost,  (b) total operational support cost,  (c) total business support cost and  (d) total cost excluding sustaining overhead under activity-based costing analysis was for a police investigation of a (i) violence against the person offence, (ii) sexual offence, (iii) robbery, (iv) deception or fraud, (v) drugs offence, (vi) criminal damage and (vii) other crime in each financial year since 2004.

Tony McNulty: Information is collected by the Home Office on  (a) the total direct staff costs,  (b) the total operational support costs,  (c) the total business support costs and  (d) the total policing costs excluding sustaining overheads for dealing with crime incidents. Values for the offences laid out in the question for England and Wales are set out in the following tables. Table A contains data for the financial year 2006-07, table B for 2005-06 and table C for 2004-05.
	
		
			  Table A 2006-07national average of the total policing cost (), excluding sustaining overheads, of dealing with an incident, broken down by crime and cost type 
			   Direct staff costs  Operational support costs  Business support costs  Total costs excluding sustaining overheads 
			 Violence Against the Person 491 303 181 976 
			 Sexual Offences 2,491 1,677 943 5,110 
			 Robbery 1,156 842 423 2,421 
			 Deception/Fraud 450 293 175 919 
			 Drugs 921 565 352 1,838 
			 Criminal Damage 102 73 40 215 
			 Other Crime 305 239 123 667 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B 2005-06national average of the total policing cost (), excluding sustaining overheads, of dealing with an incident, broken down by crime and cost type 
			   Direct staff costs  Operational support costs  Business support costs  Total costs excluding sustaining overheads 
			 Violence Against the Person 488 319 181 987 
			 Sexual Offences 2,441 1,576 908 4,925 
			 Robbery 1,176 862 480 2,519 
			 Deception/Fraud 440 260 168 868 
			 Drugs 1,059 670 388 2,117 
			 Criminal Damage 98 72 41 211 
			 Other Crime 302 233 130 666 
		
	
	
		
			  Table C 2004-05national average of the total policing cost (), excluding sustaining overheads, of dealing with an incident, broken down by crime and cost type 
			   Direct staff costs  Operational support costs  Business support costs  Total costs excluding sustaining overheads 
			 Violence Against the Person 405 284 178 867 
			 Sexual Offences 2,112 1,411 900 4,423 
			 Robbery 1,034 755 475 2,263 
			 Deception/Fraud 308 196 134 638 
			 Drugs 1,005 654 412 2,071 
			 Criminal Damage 86 66 39 191 
			 Other Crime 266 207 121 594 
			  Note: This data excludes Cambridgeshire, which did not return activity based costing data in 2004-05.

Police: Firearms

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were found guilty of unlawful killing using firearms in each of the last 20 years.

Tony McNulty: The requested information is not available centrally.

Police: Firearms

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were  (a) shot at,  (b) injured by shootings and  (c) killed in shootings in each police force area in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 1 April 2008,  Official Report, column 765W.

Police: Manpower

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent projection is of total police service strength in England and Wales from 31 March 2007 to 31 March 2011.

Tony McNulty: Information on police authority projections of police service strength is not routinely collected. It is for chief constables and police authorities to decide how best to use the resources available to them when setting levels of police officers, staff and PCSOs.

Police: Pay

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on performance related pay for police officers; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Effective pay arrangements for police officers are essential for a modern police service which delivers high standards of community safety and security to the public. Police officers should be fairly and appropriately recognised for the work they do. Superintendent, Chief Superintendent and chief officer pay includes an element related to performance.
	Officers are also eligible for bonus payments for specific pieces of work. The Home Office together with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities are considering the issue of police pay structural reform. This work is at a very early stage looking at what the objectives should be for any reform of this nature.

Police: Pay

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she last met the  (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and  (b) Prime Minister to discuss police pay arrangements; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is in regular communication with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and other Ministers.

Police: Research

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will commission a research study similar to that which resulted in the publication of the 2001 study A Diary of a Police Officer.

Tony McNulty: There are no plans to commission another study similar to A Diary of a Police Officer. The terms of reference for Sir Ronnie Flanagan's Independent Review of Policing, published in February this year, were designed to identify the drivers of unnecessary bureaucracy in the Police Service and will contribute strongly to the ongoing initiatives and reforms to combat this issue.

Police: Sick Leave

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sick days were taken by police officers taken as a result of assault in each police force in England and Wales in each year since 1997; what the average number of days lost per police officer due to assault was in each year; and what the cost was to each police force of such absences in each year.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 April 2008,  Official Report, columns 1514-15W.

Police: Statistics

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what way the Office for National Statistics is involved in the planning, production and presentation of statistical information relating to the performance of the  (a) police,  (b) probation and  (c) prison services.

Tony McNulty: The planning, production and presentation of Home Office national statistics outputs is directly managed by the Home Office Chief Statistician, who as Head of Profession for statistics in the Home Office is directly answerable for professional matters to the National Statistician (who is Head of the Government Statistical Service and is chief executive of the Office for National Statistics).
	Performance information used by the department is in most cases based on these national statistics sources as well as other relevant management information. There is a well developed process of consultation with stakeholders both with respect to the Annual Data Requirement for the police and statutory performance indicators used in assessing police performance.
	Similar arrangements apply in the Ministry of Justice which is responsible for statistics on probation and prison. National statistics within the Home Office, and across the Government Statistical Service as a whole, are produced in conformance with the National Statistics Code of Practice and its 12 supporting Protocols. These set out all the professional standards which official statistics must meet including those relating to the planning, production and presentation of statistical information. The Home Office's statement of compliance with the Code and Protocols can be accessed at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/statsprog1.html
	The UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) began operating on 1 April 2008 as a statutory independent body reporting directly to parliament. This body not only has executive control over the Office for National Statistics, but also has oversight of all UK official statistics. It will conduct a comprehensive programme of assessment of national statistics against a revised code of practice that it is now in the process of being developed. The UKSA also has established the new Publication Hub live from 1 April on www.statistics.gov.uk, which will be a one-stop shop for first releases of national statistics, providing statistics which are accessible, clear, and free from political commentary. The existing code of practice can also be downloaded at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk/about_ns/cop

Police: Training

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance she issues to chief constables on  (a) the provision of health and safety training for police officers and  (b) the risks of (i) criminal prosecution and (ii) civil action resulting from insufficient training.

Tony McNulty: The Police Health and Safety Benchmarking Standard was funded by the Home Office and published by the Association of Chief Police Officers in May 2007. It builds on previously issued guidance and serves to raise awareness of the need for sufficient health and safety training.
	The management of health and safety services, including training, provided for police officers and police staff is the responsibility of individual chief officers and police authorities. These have clearly set out liabilities and duties of care to their personnel in accordance with current Health and Safety legislation and, where it is found that the required duty of care has not been maintained, are liable for prosecution.

Police: Training

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is given to police officers to ensure that suspects are charged appropriately.

Tony McNulty: As laid out in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, it is the responsibility of the Custody Officer and/or the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to charge suspects and to ensure that there is sufficient evidence to support that charge.
	It is the responsibility of the officer dealing with the suspect to present the relevant evidence to the custody officer or to CPS. All police officers undertake legal training as part of the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme, which includes gathering information and intelligence.

Police: Vehicles

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines her Department provides to chief constables on the purchasing of  (a) police vehicles and  (b) environmentally-friendly police vehicles.

Tony McNulty: The Efficiency and Productivity Strategy for the Police Service 2008-11, which has been agreed jointly with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities, recognises that the police service could obtain better value from expenditure on goods and services, for example through increased collaborative procurement.
	The National Policing Improvement Agency has worked with the police service to develop national frameworks for the purchase of vehicles under which forces are offered significant discounts on manufacturers' prices. These have been in place since 1992 and are regularly re-tendered. The arrangements are strongly encouraged by the Association of Chief Police Officers and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. The most recent version (spring 2005) was designed to assist forces in rationalising the variety of models in use, to encourage standardisation and deliver further increases in value for money.
	Police forces continue to evaluate the use of alternative fuels and indeed the National Association of Police Fleet Managers (NAPFM) is taking environmental issues increasingly into account in vehicle procurement on a national scale.

Police: Vehicles

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police authorities have converted their fleets, in whole or in part, to run on compressed natural gas, liquid petroleum gas or electricity.

Tony McNulty: Police forces continue to evaluate the use of alternative fuels and indeed the National Association of Police Fleet Managers is applying environmental issues increasingly to future vehicle procurement on a national scale. The general trend is to move away from high carbon emission engines, including high performance vehicles. Currently, there are selective uses where non-fossil fuel vehicles can be used but these are very limited at present and are dependent on individual police force operational activities.

Police: Vehicles

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance she gives to police  (a) forces and  (b) authorities on the (i) purchase and (ii) lease of vehicles manufactured in the United Kingdom.

Tony McNulty: The police service procures vehicles using framework arrangements managed by National Policing Improvement Agency and the National Association of Police Fleet Managers. It is a legal requirement that such frameworks are procured in accordance with European Union procurement directives and United Kingdom public procurement regulations that prevent discrimination on national grounds. These framework arrangements enable police fleet managers to order vehicles and parts efficiently, thus delivering best value for money to the taxpayer. Since the safety of police officers and the public is paramount, all vehicles procured in this manner must meet demanding police specifications and are subjected to rigorous testing, including EuroNCAP safety ratings.

Proceeds of Crime

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was recovered under the Confiscation of Criminal Assets Act 2003  (a) in total and  (b) in each police authority area in descending order of amount recovered in each year since its introduction; and how much is in the process of being recovered.

Vernon Coaker: I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 8 January 2008,  Official Report, column 460W. The total amount of confiscation orders and cash forfeiture orders obtained by all agencies in April-December 2007 is 183.9 million. Data for 2007-08 is currently being finalised and validated. It should be available in May.

Terrorism

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will remove the proscription of Hamas under terrorism legislation to enable discussions between the Government and Hamas representatives on the political situation in the Middle East to take place.

Tony McNulty: The military wing of Hamas (the Izz al-Din al-Qassem Brigades) was proscribed in 2001 due to its concern in terrorism. Other parts of Hamas, such as those which deal with its political and social and humanitarian activities, are not proscribed. The proscription of the Hamas Izz al-Din al-Qassem Brigades would not therefore preclude discussions with the political leadership of Hamas should circumstances favour such contact.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Office of the Third Sector: Expenditure

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide a breakdown by main budget heading of the expenditure of the Office of the Third Sector in 2006-07.

Phil Hope: The expenditure of the Office of the Third Sector in 2006-07 is set out in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Resource Accounts 2006-07. This is available at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/upload/assets/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publications/reports/annualreport/resourceaccounts0607.pdf
	Copies are also available in the Library of the House.

Voluntary Organisations: Finance

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide a breakdown by main budget heading of the 515 million funding announced as part of the publication of the conclusions of the Third Sector review.

Phil Hope: The 515 million funding announced in the final report of the third sector review includes:
	130 million for the Grassroots Grants programme to provide small grants for community action and voice and endowments for local funders;
	117 million for the youth volunteering organisation, v;
	88.5 million for Capacitybuilders to build infrastructure for the third sector,
	An additional 65 million for the Futurebuilders Fund;
	10 million for a community anchors programme;
	6 million for the Commission for the Compact;
	5.4 million for the Regional Development Agencies to improve business support for social enterprise
	5 million for a new national third sector research centre.
	4 million for a programme of training for volunteers and volunteer managers
	2 million for an Access to Volunteering fund to increase opportunities for people with disabilities to volunteer
	The remaining funding will be used for a number of other third sector programmes, set out in the third sector review, including the strategic partners programme, work to promote social enterprise and work to enable the transformation of public services by third sector organisations.

Written Questions: Government Responses

David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he plans to provide a substantive answer to Question 187174, on correspondence in relation to freedom of information requests to Government departments, tabled on 15 February 2008.

Edward Miliband: The Cabinet Secretary replied today and a copy of his response has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Council Tax Benefit: Standards

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of claimants were underpaid council tax benefit in 2006-07.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Departmental Data Protection

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) linkages and  (b) cross checks (i) exist and (ii) are planned between the data records of individuals whose data is stored on databases maintained by (A) his Department and (B) other departments.

Stephen Timms: The Department carries out many large and small scale data cross-checks and matches between its own various systems and between its systems and those of other Government Departments, as the law allows. This is in order to deliver effective services to many different types of customers.
	However, detail of the individual linkages and checks is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental ICT

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on IT projects since 2005; and what estimate he has made of its total expenditure on IT projects between 2005 and 2010.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			  Project  Purpose  Actual expenditure since 2005 (April 2005 to March 2008)  ( million)  Estimate of total expenditure 2005-10 (April 2005 to March 2010)  ( million) 
			 Pensions transformation project The programme will transform the Pension Service, bringing together business and IT change in ways that improve customer service and deliver efficiencies. 352 417 
			 Customer information system This project will deliver a database of key citizen information to be shared across DWP. The database will complement information currently available in the Department's key customer information systems, i.e. Personal Details Computer System and Departmental Central Index, and become their replacement. Consideration is being given for wider use of CIS by Other Government Departments. 54 61 
			 Document repository service This project seeks to support the Department's modernisation programmes through the provision of a document repository to store digitised images of documents received from customers (letters, faxes, e-mails etc.), cutting down paper in the organisation. 5 9 
			 Central payments system (formerly part of payment modernisation) A modern integrated central payment engine and accounts payable system to improve accounting for benefit/pension payments, reduce risks of service failure, increased speed and efficiency, and information for improved customer service and reduced fraud and error. 45 138 
			 Customer management system (previously known as working age services modernisation project (WASMP) CMS system is a front-end data gathering system for primary Jobcentre Plus benefit processing systems, including auto-transfer of data. Subsequent releases of the system have updated and improved efficiency. 42 42 
			 Employment and support allowance The project delivers the system and processes to implement the new ESA allowance. 108 295 
			 HR IS/IT programme Following the merger of the Employment Service and the Benefits Agency human resources functions in the DWP, HR organisation underwent modernisation. Moving from a centralised, old-style personnel function to a new outward facing HR Group. This included changing how DWP delivers policies and services. The HR IS/IT Programme contributed to the delivery of these improvements ensuring its operation is efficient and effective and supports Departments learning and leadership objectives. 29 29 
			 On time solution Provide a range of improved information services to DWP businesses, including improved quicker management information, fraud and error intervention and analysis. 7 11 
			 Operational improvement plan(1) Operational and organisational restructuring of the Child Support Agency to deliver more money to more children. 85 110 
			 Provider referrals and payment project Deploy an IT system to automate and e-enable transactions between Jobcentreplus and external training providers. 0 17 
			 Web enabled local service system Provide a solution to replace the existing standalone IT used by Local Services (LS) providing LS flexibility 1 5 
			 Pension reform delivery programme To co-ordinate, manage and deliver a range of measures and consequential impacts which will establish a new structure for the UK pension system long term. 13 95 
			 Fraud referral and intervention management system This project develops and delivers a core IT platform that provides a lasting foundation for modern flexible IT support of business priorities, by introducing a new system to provide the Programme Protection Community with a single national data store of all fraud, compliance and risk cases. 28 29 
			 DWP change programme This programme brigades a number of complementary initiatives to deliver the DWP business vision. Including major projects to bring in continuous improvement using Lean techniques which should allow greater customer focus and efficiency in our process and business change projects to allow greater access to information. 24 203 
			 Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission(2) To establish a new child maintenance system that delivers more money to more children and better value for money to the taxpayer. 14 222 
			 Real time pensions forecasts (RTPF)strategic alignment To strategically align the RPTF e-service by utilising the Retirement Planner Project (RPP) solution (with RTPF service 'ring-fenced') and moving to the Corporate Integration Backbone (GIB) and Distributed Known Facts model. 1 1 
			 State pension deferral project To identify, co-ordinate, assure, communicate and deliver changes to business systems and process, within timescales, to secure the introduction of changes to state pension deferral rules. 5 5 
			 Resource management This programme provided modernised HR, financial and procurement functions for DWP staff. It introduced significant business process change, enabling departmental resources to be managed more effectively. 111 111 
			 Benefits processing replacement programme (BPRP) The Benefits Processing Replacement Programme (BPRP) was formally launched in November 2004 to consider a replacement for existing IT legacy systems to calculate benefit payments in Jobcentre Plus (JCP) and the Disability and Carers Service (DCS). The Programmes' delivery activities were suspended in May 2006, and work commenced to bring the programme to an early closure and to consider re-alignment of the IS/IT Strategy. 106 106 
			 Debt management To bring increased focus to the management, recovery and accounting of benefit debt owed to the department. 20 20 
			 (1) The Child Support Agency Operational Improvement Plan is a business recovery programme and is not a business change project in the normal sense. The focus of the programme is the organisational and operational restructuring of the agency to deliver significant performance improvements, getting more money to parents. It specifically aims to tackle the key area of debt, compliance and enforcement. Over a three year period the programme will design, develop and implement process and organisational change underpinned by continuing remediation of existing computer systems and the introduction of further IT enhancements in preparation for the new CMEC organisation. (2) At this stage, with the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission yet to be established, these costs are best viewed as planning assumptions. They will depend ultimately on how C-MEC will configure its services; the details and timing of the transitional arrangements to the new scheme; and the choices that parents will make. All of these factors are subject to significant uncertainties. It should also be noted that estimated IT costs account for less than 20 per cent of the overall costs.  Notes: 1. These costs represent the investment costs of implementing the particular project and programme. Costs of running the solutions implemented by the projects and programmes are not included above as in the vast majority of cases they are more than compensated for by the financial and non financial benefits they generate. These savings are demonstrated in the NAO report 'The Efficiency programme: A Second Review of Progress'. 2. Initiatives that are associated with ongoing system improvements or enhancements as part of business as usual have not been included.

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by Senior Civil Service staff in his Department and its agencies in the last 12 month period for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: The amount claimed by senior Civil Service staff within the Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies for the 12 month period ended 31 March 2008 was 887,000.

Departmental Risk Assessment

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what risk management measures his Department has put in place in the last three years.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions has in place a comprehensive set of risk management arrangements. These are subject to ongoing review/revision so that they continue to meet current and future needs. At all times the Department has seen risk management as integral to managing its business and to the successful achievement of its aims, targets and objectives.
	Since 2005 the Department has introduced and/or enhanced a number of risk management measures: These are:
	(i) The Department's strategy for managing risk is outlined in its Risk Management Framework (RMF), which was re-launched in September 2006 to reflect departmental and external best practice. In accordance with the Orange Book, the Framework sets out the policy, principles and concepts of risk management that have been endorsed by the Permanent Secretary's Executive Team (ET) and also introduced a common approach and language to risk management that promotes the communication, shared understanding and reporting of risk. This has aided the sharing and communication of risk information. Further updates to the RMF were issued in July 2007 and January 2008.
	(ii) During the 2004 Spending Review period members of the Permanent Secretary's ET were individually accountable for the management of risks to the achievement of Public Service Agreement targets and supporting him in the management of the strategic risks that the Department faced to the delivery of its key outcomes. This will also be taken forward in the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review period.
	(iii) Each quarter, the ET Planning Performance and Risk Sub-Committee (PPRC) discuss the management of the Department's strategic risks. Specifically, they:
	take decisions on which (if any) risks need to be escalated from business to strategic level for ET's attention;
	focus on cross-cutting or strategic issues which require a corporate approach;
	make recommendations to ET for their resolution, and;
	consider the departmental risk in the context of overarching business performance.
	This committee was established in September 2005 with board level representation from businesses across the Department and is chaired by the Finance Director General.
	At their subsequent meetings, the ET formally review recommendations made by PPRC. Management of strategic risk is also subject to independent review and challenge by the departmental board. Additionally, the departmental Audit Committee is briefed on the Department's risk management arrangements.
	A set of mandatory risk categories was introduced in 2007. These categories support a common language that promotes discussion, identification and analysis of common themes and aggregation of risks that can help identify possible common mitigation actions.
	Risk related information has been brought together within a dedicated DWP intranet site that gives details of products and links to further information. These include:
	Details of departmental risk management training courses (these courses subject to continual review)
	Internal guidance and toolkits
	External risk internet sites
	Examples of good practice.
	In January 2007 a new Risk Assurance Director was appointed from the banking industry. This external appointment has brought added value and private sector expertise into DWP which has led to improvements in internal audit practice and an increased strategic approach to risk management.

Disability Living Allowance: Appeals

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the maximum time is which has elapsed between a claim being made for disability living allowance and a claimant's appeal against a refusal of such an application being upheld since the allowance was introduced;
	(2)  what percentage of appeals brought by unsuccessful claimants of disability living allowance have been upheld in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 21 April 2008
	The information is not available to answer the hon. Member' first question.
	With regard to the second question such information as is available is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Disability living allowance appeals 
			   Percentage decided in favour of customer  Appeals to the Tribunal Service as percentage of DLA live case  load 
			 2003-04 50.8 3.2 
			 2004-05 50.0 3.2 
			 2005-06 49.4 3.0 
			 2006-07 47.1 2.7 
			 2007-08 45.3 2.4 
			  Source:  DLA Legacy systems. 
		
	
	The table shows the proportion of disability living allowance appeals that have been decided in the customer's favour by the Tribunals Service for the last five years. The numbers include customers who received an increase (including an increase from nil entitlement) in the level of, or period of entitlement to, benefit, compared to the original decision by the Disability and Carers Service.
	No information is available differentiating between appellants whose claim was initially disallowed and those whose claim led to some entitlement prior to appeal.
	To provide an indication of the incidence of appeals, the table also shows that the number of appeals submitted to the Tribunals Service, as a percentage of the total DLA live case load, has decreased over the last five years.

Health Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department provides health or social care services out of public funds, with reference to the Statement by the Minister of State, Department of Health, in the Health and Social Care Bill Committee, of 17 January 2008, Official Report, column 327.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions has no intention of duplicating NHS health or social care services provided for the general public out of public funds.

Housing Benefit

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what guidance he has given to the Rent Service on determining the extent of broad rental market areas for the purposes of local housing allowance;
	(2)  if he will publish the methodology adopted by the Rent Service in determining broad rental market areas.

Stephen Timms: It is the responsibility of the rent officer, an independent statutory officer, to determine the broad rental market areas for local housing allowance purposes. Guidance for the rent officer in England in that role is provided by The Rent Service, an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	A copy of the guidance for the rent officer in determining the broad rental market areas has been placed in the Library.
	This guidance is also available on The Rent Service website:
	www.therentservice.gov.uk.

Incapacity Benefit

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether there will be any differences in the amount paid to people in receipt of incapacity benefit and those to receive employment support allowance.

Anne McGuire: Employment and Support Allowance is an entirely new benefit with a new rate structure. So there will be differences in the amount paid to people in receipt of incapacity benefits compared to those who receive the new Employment and Support Allowance.
	The key Employment and Support Allowance main phase rates are 84.50 a week for those in the Work Related Activity Group and 89.50 a week for those in the Support Group. The poorest among the most severely disabled in the Support Group will also receive an automatic passport to the Enhanced Disability Premium, taking their benefit to 102.10 a week. Main phase rates are awarded to those who satisfy the Work Capability Assessment at the end of the 13-week assessment phase.

Industrial Health and Safety: Public Buildings

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) regulatory framework and  (b) accreditation system is for those offering third party advice on health and safety issues in relation to sites or buildings used by members of the public, with particular reference to risk assessments.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 23 April 2008
	The regulatory framework for those offering third party advice to employers on health and safety at work matters, including on risk assessment in relation to sites or buildings used by members of the public, is provided by Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. This Regulation requires such advice to be provided by 'competent' persons, and regards a person as competent where 'he has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities to enable him to properly assist' the employer.
	There is no statutory accreditation system for those offering third party advice on health and safety issues.

Jobseekers Allowance

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) average and  (b) target times were for processing (i) on-line and (ii) paper applications for jobseekers allowance in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer  23 April 2008
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 25 April 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the average and target times for processing on-line and paper applications for Jobseekers Allowance in each of the last five years. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The information is not available in the format requested. We cannot identify the time taken to process claims by method of application.
	The information that is available is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Jobseeker's allowance  average processing times and target times 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  Days 
			  Reporting year  Average processing time  Target time 
			 2003-04 11.1 12.0 
			 2004-05 12.1 12.0 
			 2005-06 14.5 12.0 
			 2006-07 14.3 12.0 
			 2007-08 10.6 12.0

Jobseekers Allowance: Internet

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for jobseekers allowance were made using the on line application form in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 23 April 2008
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 25 April 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of on-line applications made for jobseekers allowance. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	E-claims are the online application forms used for customers to register an intent to claim working age benefits.
	The e-service was introduced in the 2006/07 operational year. We do not currently hold data breaking down e-claim applications by benefit type. The available information set out in the table below details the total volume of e-claim applications received in Jobcentre Plus.
	
		
			   Volume of E-claims received 
			 2007/08 163,402 
			 2006/07 34,848

Jobseekers Allowance: Internet

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent assessment is of the efficiency of the on line application option for jobseekers allowance; and with what regularity such assessments are made.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 23 April 2008
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 25 April 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about his most recent assessment of the efficiency of the on-line application option for jobseeker's allowance; and the regularity with which such assessments are made. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Enabling customers to initiate their claim for Jobseekers Allowance online offers customers the choice of channel and the opportunity to access the service at a time that suits them. The development of self service channels also allows Jobcentre Plus to focus our more resource-intensive face to face activity on customers who need more help.
	Currently the online service allows customers to register their intention to claim, to which we respond with a telephone call to the customer to take full claim details. We have undertaken a technical review to investigate how we can improve the service, which will complement the longer term strategy of allowing customers to submit full claim details over the internet.
	Over the next three years we will be developing further self service telephony and internet options, informed by better customer insight to ensure that they are easy and convenient for customers to use.

Maternity Benefits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the take-up rate of maternity allowance was in each year since it was introduced.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available.

New Deal Schemes

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of those completing participation in the  (a) New Deal for Young People,  (b) New Deal 25 Plus,  (c) New Deal 50 Plus,  (d) New Deal for Lone Parents,  (e) New Deal for Disabled People and  (f) New Deal for Partners were doing so for the (i) first, (ii) second, (iii) third, (iv) fourth and (v) fifth or more times in each month since each such programme was established.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 29 February 2008
	Participants on New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus who are claiming jobseeker's allowance (JSA) are expected to follow a structured routeway through New Deal which they are expected to follow. However, people can leave JSA and thus leave New Deal at any point and there is no strict definition of completing these programmes. People on the four voluntary New Deals can leave them at any point and there is also no definition of completing these programmes.
	New Deal repeaters are more likely to enter employment from their second spell on the programme than their first, and from their third spell than their second. Each period on New Deal moves participants closer to the labour market.
	The available information on the number of people who have started each New Deal, and the number of times they have started, has been placed in the Library.

Osteopathy

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals to encourage the use of osteopathy to assist people in becoming fit to work.

Anne McGuire: We recognise that osteopathy has the potential to contribute to our welfare reform agenda, in particular by helping incapacity benefit claimants suffering from musculoskeletal disorders to manage or overcome their conditions. However, we currently have no plans to develop specific proposals on the use of osteopathy.
	Following receipt of Dame Carol Black's review, Working for a healthier tomorrow, the Government are currently considering what they need to do more widely to improve the health of the working age population and help more people with health conditions manage their condition and retain or move into work. A formal response to this review is planned for later in the year.

Remploy

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) disabled and  (b) non-disabled employees of closed Remploy factories have (i) been placed in sheltered employment, (ii) been placed in mainstream employment, (iii) taken voluntary redundancy pay and (iv) taken compulsory redundancy pay.

Anne McGuire: At 10 April 2008, nine disabled employees of Remploy have been placed in sheltered employment. 185 disabled employees have opted to stay on Remploy terms and conditions in mainstream employment. To date 11 disabled employees have been placed into permanent work, 33 disabled employees have been placed into work trials which should lead to a permanent job and six disabled employees are currently in training. Remploy is working actively with the other employees to assist them into mainstream employment.
	349 disabled employees opted for early retirement with voluntary redundancy. 630 disabled employees took voluntary redundancy, but were too young to retire. Around 104 of these have already found new jobs in mainstream employment. There were no compulsory redundancies for disabled people as part of the modernisation programme.
	No non disabled employees have been placed at a sheltered workshop or placed by Remploy into mainstream employment. 98 non disabled employees took compulsory redundancy. None took voluntary redundancy.

Remploy: Wisbech

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the decision to close the Wisbech Remploy factory was taken; who took the decision; what effect on his Department's expenditure there will be as a result of the closure; and what the estimated site value of the factory is.

Anne McGuire: All 11 employees and the Manager at the Wisbech Remploy factory volunteered for redundancy. In the absence of any quality work for the factory the company accepted the redundancy applications. Remploy advised stakeholders on 25 February that the Wisbech factory would close.
	There will be no effect on the Department's planned expenditure of 555 million over the five years of the modernisation plan, as a result of the closure. The site has no commercial value to Remploy because it is on short term rental from the local council.

Social Security Benefits: Polygamy

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in recognised polygamous marriages were claiming state benefits in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by type of benefit.

James Plaskitt: The information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Unemployment

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of children lived in workless households in each year since 2005.

Edward Miliband: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 April 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question asking what proportion of children lived in workless households in each year since 2005.
	Estimates are provided from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). There are currently no annual household datasets available, so the figures are given for the April-June quarter to be consistent with those published in the 'Work and worklessness among household First Release' (see web link
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/work0807.pdf).
	The proportion of children in UK working-age workless households was 15.8 per cent. in 2005, 15.6 per cent. in 2006 and 15.9 per cent. in 2007.
	The data on the proportion of children living in UK working-age workless households from 1997 can be found at the following we link
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/worklessness/Table_3i_Calendar_Qtrs.xls
	The household datasets (like the main quarterly LFS microdatasets) are weighted to the population estimates published by ONS in February and March 2003. They do not incorporate the more recent population estimates used in the headline LFS series.
	A workless household is defined as a household that includes at least one person of working-age (a woman aged 16 to 59 or a man aged 16 to 64) where no-one aged 16 or over is in employment.
	The LFS is a sample survey covering over 52,000 households in the United Kingdom in each three month period. As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

JUSTICE

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since July 2007;
	(2)  what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since its creation.

Jack Straw: The offences created, and the offences which have been repealed, in primary legislation sponsored by my Department, are contained in the following table. This includes the offences in Part 2 of the Serious Crime Act, although the legislation as a whole was sponsored by the Home Office. Some of the legislation is not yet in force. There is some additional information about offences, which due to an oversight, was not included in my answer to the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (David Davis) on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 163-65W. I am writing to the right hon. Member about this.
	
		
			  Act of Parliament  Date of Royal Assent  Offence(s) created  Offences repealed 
			 Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 26 July 2007 Manslaughter by an organisation caused by gross failure of the organisation's management or organisation The common law offence of manslaughter by gross negligence in its application to corporations 
			 Legal Services Act 2007 30 October 2007 Carrying on a reserved legal activity if not entitled, or through a person not entitled; Pretending to be entitled to carry out a reserved legal activity; Pretending to be a Barrister; Failing to identify a non-authorised person in a licence application or when that information becomes available; notifying anon-authorised person of the disclosure; Knowingly providing false information or documents to a licensing authority; Breaching duty of notification to a licensing authority; Failing to comply with a Notice Prohibiting Payment; Failing to comply with a notice to produce or deliver documents; Falsifying, Concealing destroying or disposing of documents or causing that offence; Knowingly or recklessly providing false or misleading information; Failing to comply with an Order made by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. Doing any act in the purported exercise of any right granted to an authorised practitioner when not an authorised practitioner; Unauthorised person acting as a notary for gain; Unqualified person drawing or preparing any instrument relating to real or personal estate or lodging any document for land registration; Unqualified person drawing up instruments or taking instructions for grant of probate or administration for a fee; Commencing a prosecution or defending an action for bankruptcy while in jail; Contravening rules about qualification of partnerships and bodies corporate; Intentionally altering, suppressing or destroying documents required by the OFT; Breaching conditions of control or publicity within the Trade Marks Act 1994. 
			 Offender Management Act 2007 26 July 2007 Modified offences of conveying prohibited articles into or out of prison. Created offences of the unauthorised use of certain articles in prison, and of conveying restricted documents out of prison.  
			 Serious Crime Act 2 07 (Home Office sponsored Act but Ministry of Justice sponsorship for Part 2) 30 October 2007 Offences of assisting and encouraging crime to modernise and reform the law in this area. Offence of incitement to commit criminal offence. 
			 Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 19 July 2007 Unauthorised use or disclosure of debtor information; Purporting to act as an enforcement agent without being authorised; Intentionally obstructing a person lawfully acting as an enforcement agent; Intentionally interfering with controlled goods without lawful excuse.

Driving Under Influence: Drugs or Alcohol

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people were convicted of driving while impaired through drugs or other substances, excluding alcohol, in  (a) Chorley borough and  (b) Lancashire in 2006-07;
	(2)  how many people were convicted of driving while impaired through alcohol in  (a) Chorley Borough and  (b) Lancashire in 2006-07.

Maria Eagle: Within the Lancashire police force area in 2005 (latest available) there were 2,723 findings of guilt at all courts for offences of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs. 2006 data will be available later this year; 2007 in 2009.
	The figure provided covers both drink and drugs offences combined, as volumes of prosecutions and convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs cannot be accurately established.
	Information is available at police force area level only.

Drugs: Sentencing

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2008,  Official Report, columns 890-2W, on drugs, what the average custodial sentence given to those convicted of dealing  (a) heroin,  (b) cocaine,  (c) LSD,  (d) ecstasy and  (e) cannabis was in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: The requested information is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Average determinate custodial sentence length( 1)  for persons sentenced to immediate custody for supplying a controlled drug, all courts, England and Wales, 2002 to 2006 England and Wales 
			   Average custodial sentence length (months) 
			  Controlled drugs  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Heroin 41.1 39.4 40.2 36.4 36.6 
			 Cocaine 43.1 44.1 43.6 41.5 38.3 
			 LSD 28.0 29.2 30.5 39.6 44.8 
			 Ecstasy 30.7 31.2 30.9 29.2 29.0 
			 Cannabis(2) 16.5 14.8 8.0 11.4 13.8 
			 (1) Excludes life and indeterminate sentences.  (2) In January 2004 Cannabis was reclassified from a Class B to a Class C drug.   Notes:  1. All figures are for the offences of supplying or offering to supply a controlled drug and for having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.  2. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source:  Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice 22 April 2008.

Health Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department provides health or social care services out of public funds, with reference to the Statement by the Minister of State, Department of Health, in the Health and Social Care Bill Committee, of 17 January 2008,  Official Report, column 327.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice does not provide any such services directly. However, contracted prisons are provided with a single contract price to provide all the services specified in their contract. This includes health services. Similarly, it is a requirement in contracts with providers of secure training centres and places in secure children's homes that these providers commission health services.

High Court: Birmingham

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many High Court Judge sitting days there were in Birmingham for  (a) criminal cases,  (b) the Family Division,  (c) the Chancery Division,  (d) the Mercantile Court,  (e) the Technology and Construction Court and  (f) the other areas of the Queen's Bench Division in each of the last four years.

Maria Eagle: Figures for the number of High Court judge sittings in Birmingham for the last four years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Crime 352 397 375 474 
			 Family 168 180 211 215.5 
			 Chancery and Mercantile 318 406 385.75 376 
			 Technology and Construction 179 167.5 171.5 187.5 
			 Other Queen's Bench 426 386.5 467 445.5 
			 Total 1,443 1,537 1610.25 1698.5

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to answer the letter to him dated 7 March 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Mr. D. Carroll.

Jack Straw: I replied to the right hon. Member on 22 April. I apologise for the delay.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 4 March 2008, on the transcript of an appeal proceeding (reference: 192972/43442);
	(2)  when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 29 February 2008, transferred from the Attorney-General, on Jewish courts;
	(3)  when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 6 March 2008, on the Electoral Reform Campaign (reference: 193307).

Bridget Prentice: The Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle) replied on 22 April to the hon. Member's letter of 4 March, and the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Mr. Wills) replied on 17 April to the hon. Member's letter of 6 March. I replied on 22 April to the hon. Member's letter of 29 February. I apologise for the delay.

Powers of Attorney

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times the Court of Protection suspended an individual's power of attorney over another in each year for which figures are available.

Bridget Prentice: Prior to October 2007 and the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, the Court of Protection could rule on whether the existing registration of an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) was to be cancelled, or whether an objection to the registration of a currently unregistered EPA was to be upheld and the instrument not registered.
	Since October 2007, the Public Guardian is responsible for registering both the old EPAs and the new Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) that came into force with the new Act. The court, on an application, can still similarly direct the cancellation of the registration of a power of attorney or direct the Public Guardian not to register a power.
	Both prior to October 2007, and since the new regime came into force from October, the court has not recorded statistics relating to the cancellations of existing registrations of either EPAs or LPAs and this information is therefore not readily available.
	I have asked my officials to see whether it may be possible to extract some information in this area from the IT systems that record registrations of powers of attorney. It may be possible to provide further data on the number of powers that remain unregistered following an application to the Court of Protection objecting to the registration. I will write to the hon. member shortly with the results of this exercise.

Prison Service

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison officers left each prison due to  (a) retirement,  (b) resignation,  (c) transfer to another prison and  (d) other reasons in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Information on the total number of officer grade staff  (a) retiring,  (b) resigning  (c) transferring and  (d) leaving for other reasons, from all Prison Service establishments since 2001 are contained in the following tables. A breakdown for each prison has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	
		
			  Prison officers, senior officers and principal officers leaving public sector establishments: 2001 to 2007 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Retirements 494 415 428 399 374 334 287 
			 Resignations 526 488 546 558 558 571 532 
			 Transfer to other establishment 768 1,833 1,228 1,254 1,102 1,236 1,205 
			 Other leavers 299 334 455 372 348 351 352 
		
	
	
		
			  Prison custody officers leaving private sector establishments: 2001 to 2007 (partial data)( 1) 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Retirements 0 1 2 0 0 2 1 
			 Resignations 75 62 131 225 377 344 316 
			 Transfer to other establishment 11 8 7 1 4 8 9 
			 Other leavers 18 3 17 51 80 78 46 
			 (1)This table is said to contain partial data because information was not supplied by all contractors. The details of where data was not provided is contained in the individual tables available from House Libraries.

Prisoners

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  at what average distance from their homes  (a) all male offenders,  (b) adult male offenders,  (c) young adult male offenders and  (d) juvenile male offenders were held in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  at what average distance from their homes  (a) all female offenders, (b) adult female offenders,  (c) young adult female offenders and  (d) juvenile female offenders were held in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many  (a) male offenders,  (b) adult male offenders,  (c) young adult male offenders and  (d) juvenile male offenders were held over 100 miles away from their home in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how many  (a) all female offenders,  (b) adult female offenders,  (c) young adult female offenders and  (d) juvenile female offenders were held over 100 miles away from their home in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The following table shows the average distance from home for male and female prisoners (including young offenders for each gender) in each of the last five years.
	
		
			  Miles 
			   Male  Female 
			   Average distance from home for all male prisoners  Average distance from home for adult male prisoners  A verage distance from home for male young offenders aged under 21  Average di stance from home for all female prisoners  Average distance from home for adult female prisoners  Average distance from home for female young offenders aged under 21 
			 2003 52 52 48 68 69 65 
			 2004 51 51 50 62 61 66 
			 2005 49 49 50 58 55 56 
			 2006 50 49 50 58 58 58 
			 2007 49 50 50 55 59 54 
		
	
	The following table shows how many offenders were held over 100 miles away from their homes for male and female offenders (including young offenders for each gender) in each of the last five years,
	
		
			  Number 
			   Male  Female 
			   All male prisoners held over 100 miles from home  Adult male prisoners held over 100 miles from home  Male young offenders held over 100 miles from home  All female prisoners held over 100 miles from home  Adult female prisoners held over 100 miles from home  Female young offenders aged under 21 held over 100 miles from home 
			 2003 11,900 10,900 1,000 1,200 1,100 100 
			 2004 10,150 9,200 950 1,000 900 100 
			 2005 9,750 8,800 950 700 600 100 
			 2006 11,150 10,000 1,150 850 800 50 
			 2007 11,350 10.100 1,250 850 800 50 
		
	
	Figures for both tables are taken from sample data, not necessarily in the same month each year. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. For data relating to offenders held over 100 miles from home, the data have been rounded.
	Where no home address is listed for a male or female prisoner or young offender the committal court is used as a proxy address for their home.
	The definitions for young offenders and juvenile offenders have changed within the last five years and so these have been grouped together to include all offenders under 21 years old.

Prisoners: Females

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of female offenders were placed in prison on remand in  (a) each of the last 10 years and  (b) in 2008 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Data showing the number of females received into prison establishments on remand for the years 1997 to 2006 (latest available) can be found in table 1. These data are taken from the Offender Management Caseload Statistics.
	It is not possible to provide information on the proportion of female offenders who are remanded in custody, as data on the number of female offenders come from a separate system, the Court Proceedings Database, and therefore are not comparable with the prison receptions data. However, the number of females found guilty at all courts for 1997 to 2006 (latest available), on a principal offence basis, is given in table 2. Data for 2008 are not yet available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of females received into prison establishments on remand, 1997 to 2006, England and Wales 
			  Number of females 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Prisoners on remand 5,124 6,258 6,721 6,584 7,191 8,690 9,032 7,978 7,660 7,498 
			 Untried(1) 3,974 4,540 4,587 4,026 4,122 4,954 5,238 4,716 5,173 5,361 
			 Convicted unsentenced(2) 2,436 3,442 3,935 3,773 4,349 5,450 5,659 4,860 4,634 4,327 
			 (1) Awaiting commencement or continuation of trial prior to verdict. (2) Awaiting sentence  Note: Data Sources and Quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and so although shown to the last individual, the figures may not be accurate to that level.  Source: Offender Management Caseload Statistics 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of females found guilty at all courts, 1997 to 2006( 1) , England and Wales 
			  Number of females 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Convictions 217,137 235,578 219,980 256,018 237,622 258,756 260,672 279,583 282,732 277,629 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences at the same court proceeding, they have only been counted once in this table.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Court Proceedings Database

Prisoners: Females

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of women released from prison were reconvicted within two years in each of the last five years, broken down by the length of the original sentence; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The number of female offenders and the actual two-year rate of re-offending for females released from prison between 2000 and 2004 is show in the following table.
	
		
			   Total number of females discharged from prison  Actual rate of re-offending  (percentage)  Number of female re-offenders 
			 2000 1,259 58.2 733 
			 2001 (1) (1) (1) 
			 2002 1,222 64.6 789 
			 2003 1,199 63.4 760 
			 2004 1,408 64.3 906 
			 (1) No data available. 
		
	
	We do not publish this data broken down by length of original sentence.
	For each year, statistical records on individual prison discharges and community sentence starts are matched to the Police National Computer to extract criminal history and re-offending information used to produce the published re-offending figures which cover probation and prison combined. The 2001 re-offending results are not available, because the probation data archive file for that year is corrupt and we have not matched prison discharges alone as re-offending figures for the combined dataset are the main performance measure used.

Prisoners: Females

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of women prisoners had dependent children in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service does not routinely keep information on the number of prisoners that have dependent children. However, the 2003-04 resettlement survey commissioned by the then Prison Service Custody to Work Unit showed that half of all female prisoners had dependent children (including stepchildren), and that 46 per cent. of those women had lived with at least one dependent child before custody.

Prisoners: Training

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hours a week of vocational training was provided on average to prisoners and juvenile offenders in each of the last five years, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Vocational training data are included within the data collated for purposeful activity and are collated at the level of prison establishment. The following tables show the average number of hours of vocational training per week in prisons which predominately hold non juvenile prisoners and prisons which predominately hold juvenile prisoners in each of the last five full financial years.
	
		
			  Average number of vocational training hours per week for prisoners in non juvenile prisons 
			  Operational area  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 East Midlands 4.4 4.8 4.3 4.3 5.5 
			 Eastern 3.0 3.1 3.3 3.6 3.8 
			 High Security 3.2 3.0 3.2 3.0 3.1 
			 Kent and Sussex 2.6 2.7 2.9 3.4 3.8 
			 London 1.4 1.7 2.0 2.3 2.0 
			 North East 3.7 3.6 3.3 2.7 2.9 
			 North West 5.2 5.6 5.6 5.5 5.6 
			 Contracted Out 5.0 4.2 4.1 4.0 4.3 
			 South Central 2.5 1.9 3.0 3.5 3.5 
			 South West 3.8 3.4 4.0 3.9 3.7 
			 Wales 2.7 2.9 3.9 3.9 4.6 
			 West Midlands 3.6 3.3 3.6 4.2 5.8 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 4.2 4.1 3.8 4.0 4.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Average number of vocational training hours per week for prisoners in juvenile prisons 
			  Operational area  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Eastern (1) 1.6 1.2 (1) 1.0 
			 South Central 2.9 3.1 2.5 2.4 2.0 
			 West Midlands 6.4 5.9 6.3 5.8 5.5 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 3.4 3.2 2.8 4.1 3.6 
			 (1 )No data available

Prisons: Capacity

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  on how many occasions the prison population exceeded its operational capacity in each of the last five years, broken down by prison; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many days the prison service operated with a prison population above its operational capacity in 2007-08, broken down by prison; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Every Friday the Ministry of Justice publishes figures for the overall prison population and useable operational capacity in England and Wales.
	Prison population exceeded useable operational capacity on only two occasions in the last five years. The first time was on Friday 22 February 2008. It exceeded it again on Friday 29 February 2008.
	Individual establishments have an operational capacity set by the Prison Service Area Manager (or Regional Offender Manager in the case of a contracted prison) taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. The information requested about establishments exceeding their operational capacity cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. However, prison instructions are clear that operational capacity is not to be exceeded other than on an exceptional basis to accommodate pressing operational need.

Prisons: Construction

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many new prison places were built in each of the last 10 years; at what average cost in each year; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The following table shows the number of new public and private prison places built in each of the last 10 financial years and the average capital building cost per place, including ancillary costs.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of new prison places( 1)  Average capital building cost per place( 2)  () 
			 1998-99 1,222 67,000 
			 1999-2000 1,646 65,000 
			 2000-01 640 61,000 
			 2001-02 920 79,000 
			 2002-03 1,780 57,000 
			 2003-04 1,376 77,000 
			 2004-05 2,570 100,000 
			 2005-06 940 119,000 
			 2006-07 180 150,000 
			 2007-08 2,111 (3)153,000 
			 (1) The number of new places includes places in new prisons as well as places provided by expansion at existing prisons. It does not take into account any places provided through prisoners sharing cells; nor any places that have been taken out of use. (2) The costs shown only cover the capital building costs of each new place. No adjustment has been made for inflation. Variations between sites and across the period may reflect a number of factors including for example the inclusion of ancillary work and the category of prison. (3) Estimated cost.

Probation Officers

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many probation officers left each area probation service  (a) upon retirement,  (b) upon resignation,  (c) upon transfer to another probation service and  (d) for other reasons in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Information for the full period requested is not available. Data collected before 2006 were not broken down into the categories required to answer this question and is therefore not directly comparable with the figures collected since then. The following table details the number of staff in probation officer roles leaving their posts during 2006-07 by area and their leaving destinations.
	
		
			  Leaving destinationProbation officers( 1)  financial year 2006-07( 2) 
			  Probation area  Transferred to another probation area( 3)  Other employment  No other employment  Retirement( 4)  Other( 5)  Unknown  Total 
			 Avon and Somerset 7.00 1.20 0.00 1.80 0.00 11.00 21.00 
			 Bedfordshire 2.40 0.00 3.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 7.40 
			 Cambridgeshire 1.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 2.00 6.00 
			 Cheshire 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.61 0.00 5.77 6.38 
			 Cumbria 1.00 0.20 2.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.70 
			 Derbyshire 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.50 1.00 3.00 7.50 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0.00 3.00 0.00 2.00 0.50 5.50 11.00 
			 Dorset 1.00 0.00 0.00 7.00 0.00 1.00 9.00 
			 Durham 3.00 0.00 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.00 
			 Dyfed Powys 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.40 0.00 2.10 4.50 
			 Essex 3.00 0.00 2.00 0.00 0.00 1.50 6.50 
			 Gloucestershire 2.00 2.00 5.00 0.00 1.00 8.00 18.00 
			 Gwent 0.00 0.00 3.00 0.00 1.00 5.00 9.00 
			 Hampshire 3.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 0.00 22.10 26.10 
			 Hertfordshire 6.00 3.00 1.00 7.50 0.00 2.00 19.50 
			 Humberside 0.00 3.00 0.00 3.00 2.50 3.50 12.00 
			 Kent 3.00 0.00 4.00 11.00 3.00 0.00 21.00 
			 Lancashire 0.00 10.90 3.00 1.50 4.00 3.90 23.30 
			 Leicestershire 3.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 7.00 12.00 
			 Lincolnshire 3.00 0.00 0.00 3.00 0.00 0.00 6.00 
			 London 3.80 0.00 0.00 9.30 10.80 54.79 78.69 
			 Greater Manchester 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.00 1.00 47.00 60.00 
			 Merseyside 3.00 3.00 18.00 13.00 0.00 2.00 39.00 
			 Norfolk 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.00 0.00 1.00 7.00 
			 North Yorkshire 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 North Wales 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 9.00 10.00 
			 Northamptonshire 2.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 4.00 
			 Northumbria 6.00 0.00 2.50 0.60 0.00 5.20 14.30 
			 Nottinghamshire 3.00 0.90 0.00 1.00 1.00 4.00 9.90 
			 South Wales 4.00 3.00 0.00 9.00 4.00 1.00 21.00 
			 South Yorkshire 1.00 1.40 3.00 0.00 0.00 7.20 12.60 
			 Staffordshire 0.00 2.00 0.50 4.00 0.00 0.00 6.50 
			 Suffolk 0.00 3.00 0.00 4.00 0.00 0.00 7.00 
			 Surrey 5.00 0.00 2.70 0.00 0.00 6.00 13.70 
			 Sussex 0.00 0.00 3.00 11.00 1.00 2.00 17.00 
			 Teesside 2.40 9.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 12.40 
			 Thames Valley 5.00 1.50 3.80 4.80 1.00 1.00 17.10 
			 Warwickshire 7.40 2.00 3.00 3.00 0.00 2.40 17.80 
			 West Mercia 0.00 0.00 3.26 7.50 0.00 2.40 13.16 
			 West Midlands 6.00 4.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 5.00 27.00 
			 West Yorkshire 0.00 5.00 0.00 4.00 2.00 29.00 40.00 
			 Wiltshire 4.00 6.00 3.00 0.00 1.80 1.00 15.80 
			 (1) Includes senior practitioners, probation officers, trainee probation officers, senior probation officers and practice development assessors. (2) Figures provided are full time equivalent (FTE). (3) Does not include those transferring within the same area, as this information is not collected. (4) Includes those retiring on ill-health grounds. (5) Includes those leaving as a result of dismissal, those leaving for education/training purposes and death in service.

Witness Service: Vetting

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will review the adequacy of the security checks which members of the Witness Service are obliged to undergo on entering court buildings; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The volunteers of the Witness Service are subject to the same security checks as all other court users when entering court buildings.
	The search regime is applied uniformly in order to avoid the vulnerabilities created by applying different measures to different groups.

Young Offenders

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many persistent young offenders were sentenced in courts in each criminal justice area in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007;

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many persistent young offenders were sentenced in courts in each criminal justice area in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Jack Straw: A persistent young offender is a young person aged 10-17 who has been sentenced by any criminal court in the UK on three or more separate occasions for one or more recordable offence, and within three years of the last sentencing occasion is subsequently arrested or has an information laid against them for a further recordable offence.
	Overall timeliness statistics and caseloads counts on Persistent Young Offenders (PYOs) are available from 1997 to 2007. These statistics are used to monitor the pledge to halve the average time from arrest to sentence for dealing with PYOs in England and Wales from 142 days in 1996 to 71 days.
	Counts of offenders split by the Criminal Justice System (CIS) areas of the sentencing court are not readily available. Instead, the following table presents figures split by the CIS areas where offenders were first arrested or reported. This is because local area figures are most accurately derived from the Police National Computer on this basis.
	The following table shows the number of PYOs assigned to the police forces in 1997 and 2007. The increase in the number of PYO convictions is broadly consistent with the increase we have seen in recent years in the number of all offences brought to justice. In the year to September 2007 there were 1.44 million offences brought to justicean increase of 44 per cent. on 2001-02. This reflects improvements in the performance of the CJS, rather than an increase in the level of crime. Recorded crime has been falling since 2003-04. The increase in those meeting the PYO definition is partly a consequence of improvements in the timeliness of dealing with such offenders.
	The definition of a PYO relies on counting successive sentencing occasions for a single offender during a limited time period. Speedier operation of the youth justice system has markedly reduced the average time taken from arrest to sentence, and as a result the number of offenders who fall within scope of the PYO definition has increased. This was a particular issue from 1997 to 2002, the period during which these timeliness improvements were taking effect.
	
		
			  Statistics on persistent young offenders (PYOs) by criminal justice areas, 1997-2007 
			   Number of PYOs  Arrest to sentence interval (days) 
			   1997  2007  1997  2007 
			 England and Wales 9,868 16,512 141 65 
			 Avon and Somerset 179 354 184 69 
			 Bedfordshire 59 109 150 75 
			 Cambridgeshire 111 200 145 63 
			 Cheshire 166 268 169 50 
			 Cleveland 322 280 122 65 
			 Cumbria 148 240 109 63 
			 Derbyshire 144 281 149 56 
			 Devon and Cornwall 127 356 110 66 
			 Dorset 53 144 135 69 
			 Durham 191 278 120 58 
			 Dyfed-Powys 91 116 124 46 
			 Essex 155 432 144 52 
			 Gloucestershire 113 155 137 65 
			 Greater Manchester 817 1,251 120 68 
			 Gwent 122 206 135 74 
			 Hampshire 234 688 165 64 
			 Hertfordshire 104 228 178 66 
			 Humberside 215 397 129 65 
			 Kent 198 362 121 71 
			 Lancashire 274 642 124 62 
			 Leicestershire 145 281 176 76 
			 Lincolnshire 119 122 143 56 
			 Merseyside 377 520 153 63 
			 Metropolitan 864 1,769 160 70 
			 Norfolk 97 160 107 58 
			 North Wales 108 204 124 59 
			 North Yorkshire 120 252 125 59 
			 Northamptonshire 102 153 136 68 
			 Northumbria 588 908 129 72 
			 Nottinghamshire 351 383 153 65 
			 South Wales 412 348 147 75 
			 South Yorkshire 333 385 134 64 
			 Staffordshire 192 292 135 59 
			 Suffolk 74 230 154 50 
			 Surrey 71 138 156 58 
			 Sussex 99 432 147 63 
			 Thames Valley 254 442 145 72 
			 Warwickshire 63 123 115 55 
			 West Mercia 173 323 155 61 
			 West Midlands 762 808 141 60 
			 West Yorkshire 542 904 149 62 
			 Wiltshire 71 131 122 76 
		
	
	The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) publishes the data in the above table as National Statistics. Further information on persistent young offenders can be found on the dedicated page of the MOJ website:
	www.justice.gov.uk/publications/averagetimearresttosentencepyo.htm

Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children assessed as vulnerable by the Youth Justice Board were in  (a) young offender institutions and  (b) secure training centres at the latest date for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Youth Offending Teams' assessments no longer make a simple distinction between vulnerable and not vulnerable. The Youth Justice Board found that these terms were too general to provide a sound basis for decision-making. Instead, risk factors such as previous self-harm, mental health or drug dependency issues are recorded. This information is used by the Board's Placement Team to decide on the most appropriate type of accommodation for the young person in question.

Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of those in custody  (a) between 10 and 13 years old,  (b) between 14 and 16 years old and  (c) aged 17 or 18 years old were being held (i) less than 30, (ii) between 31 and 50, (iii) between 51 and 100 and (iv) more than 100 miles from home at the latest date for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The following table gives the available information, supplied by the Youth Justice Board, about distance from home of young people in custody, as at 29 February 2008. Details of home addresses are held for 92 per cent. of the under-18 custodial population: information about the remaining 8 per cent. is not available. Address information for 18-year-olds is not collated centrally.
	
		
			  Age group  Less than 30 miles  31 to 50 miles  51 to 100 miles  More than 100 miles 
			 10-13 11 3 13 4 
			 14-16 477 341 327 132 
			 17 528 388 307 131 
			  Source: Data supplied by the Youth Justice Board from administrative computer systems.

Young Offenders: Greater London

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders in Greater London aged 10 to 17 years were sentenced for  (a) robbery and  (b) violence against the person in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2007.

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders in Greater London aged 10 to 17 years were sentenced for  (a) robbery and  (b) violence against the person in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2007.

Jack Straw: The available information is contained in the table. The data are for 1997 and 2006, the latest year for which annual published statistics are available.
	Statistics for 2007 will be published in the autumn.
	
		
			  Number of persons aged 10 to 17 sentenced( 1)  in Greater London, all courts, 1997, 2006 
			   Number of persons 
			  Offence group  1997  2006 
			  Greater London( 2)   
			 Robbery 676 1,544 
			 Violence against the person 752 1,093 
			 (1) Principal offence basis. (2) Includes Metropolitan and City of London Police Force Areas.  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice

Young Offenders: Greater London

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many persistent young offenders were sentenced in courts in Greater London in each year since 1997.

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many persistent young offenders were sentenced in courts in Greater London in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: A persistent young offender is a young person aged 10 to 17 who has been sentenced by any criminal court in the UK on three or more separate occasions for one or more recordable offence, and within three years of the last sentencing occasion is subsequently arrested or has an information laid against them for a further recordable offence.
	Overall timeliness statistics and caseloads counts on Persistent Young Offenders (PYOs) are available from 1997 to 2007. These statistics are used to monitor the pledge to halve the average time from arrest to sentence for dealing with PYOs in England and Wales from 142 days in 1996 to 71 days.
	Counts of offenders split by the Criminal Justice System (CIS) areas of the sentencing court are not readily available. Instead, the table presents figures for offenders first arrested or reported in the Metropolitan police area. This is because local area figures are most accurately derived from the Police National Computer on this basis.
	The table shows the number of PYOs assigned to the Metropolitan police force in each year since 1997. The increase in the number of PYO convictions is broadly consistent with the increase we have seen in recent years in the number of all offences brought to justice. In the year to September 2007 there were 1.44 million offences brought to justicean increase of 44 per cent. on 2001-02. This reflects improvements in the performance of the CJS, rather than an increase in the level of crime. Recorded crime has been falling since 2003-04. The increase in those meeting the PYO definition is partly a consequence of improvements in the timeliness of dealing with such offenders.
	The definition of a PYO relies on counting successive sentencing occasions for a single offender during a limited time period. Speedier operation of the youth justice system has markedly reduced the average time taken from arrest to sentence, and as a result the number of offenders who fall within scope of the PYO definition has increased at national level. This was a particular issue from 1997 to 2002, the period during which these timeliness improvements were taking effect.
	
		
			  Key statistics on persistent young offenders (PYOs) in the Metropolitan police force area, 1997-2007 
			   Number of PYOs  Arrest to sentence interval (days) 
			 1997 864 141 
			 1998 1,003 125 
			 1999 1,091 108 
			 2000 1,100 93 
			 2001 1,297 100 
			 2002 1,325 83 
			 2003 1,251 77 
			 2004 1,324 85 
			 2005 1,329 86 
			 2006 1,486 85 
			 2007 1,769 70 
		
	
	The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) publishes the data in the above table as National Statistics. Further information on persistent young offenders can be found on the dedicated page of the Ministry of Justice website:
	www.justice.gov.uk/publications/averagetimearresttosentencepyo.htm

HEALTH

Abortion: Drugs

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1312, how many deaths attributed to adverse reactions to RU486 other than those reported to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency there have been since 1993.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1312.

Alcoholic Drinks: Counselling

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were referred to alcohol counselling services in each of the last five years, broken down by  (a) region,  (b) sex and  (c) those aged (i) under 10, (ii) 10 to 18 and (iii) over 18 years.

Dawn Primarolo: Data on the number of people referred to alcohol counselling services have not been collected centrally, however, the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System has been expanded to include a formal National Alcohol Treatment Monitoring System to collect alcohol treatment data, starting from 1 April 2008.

Drugs: Misuse

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions there were where the primary or secondary diagnosis was drug-related, in each of the last five years, broken down by age of patient.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows the number of finished admission episodes (FAEs) in which the primary or secondary diagnosis of the patient was drug(1) related broken down by age. 2006-07 is the latest period for which figures are available.
	
		
			   Year (of end of first period of care in patient's hospital stay) 
			  Age  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03 
			 Under 15 13,976 14,449 14,077 14,612 14,134 
			 15 to 64 162,294 160,065 142,999 131,703 118,119 
			 65+ 38,804 37,130 34,002 32,238 28,556 
			 Unknown 373 261 342 405 552 
			  Notes: FAEs: A FAE is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 national health service trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. 
			  Assessing growth through time: HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. During the years that these records have been collected the NHS there have been ongoing improvements in quality and coverage. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example a number of procedures may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and may no longer be accounted in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time. All Diagnoses count of episodesprimary and secondary-drug related: These figures represent a count of all FAEs where the diagnosis was mentioned in any of the 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in a HES record. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-IO codes used to identify a drug related diagnosis are as follows. (1)A 'drug' can be defined, broadly speaking, as any substance that alters normal bodily function. Therefore, all codes relating to noxious substances and solvents have been included. It is not possible to identify in ICD-10 all diseases caused by drugs (legal or illegal) and there is no way to guarantee, that the admission was drug related. For example, a patient admitted for inguinal hernia surgery may also be dependent on a drug. F11.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of opioids F12.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cannabinoids F13.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of sedatives or hypnotics F14.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of cocaine F15.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of other stimulants, including caffeine F16.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of hallucinogens F18.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of volatile solvents F19.- Mental and behavioural disorders due to multiple drug use and use of other psychoactive substances F55.- Abuse of non-dependence-producing substances K71.0 Toxic liver disease with cholestasis K71.1 Toxic liver disease with hepatic necrosis K71.2 Toxic liver disease with acute hepatitis K71.3 Toxic liver disease with chronic persistent hepatitis K71.4 Toxic liver disease with chronic lobular hepatitis K71.5 Toxic liver disease with chronic active hepatitis K71.6 Toxic liver disease with hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K71.7 Toxic liver disease with fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver K71.8 Toxic liver disease with other disorders of liver K71.9 Toxic liver disease, unspecified T36.- Poisoning by systemic antibiotics T37.- Poisoning by other systemic anti-infectives and antiparasitics T38.- Poisoning by hormones and their synthetic substitutes and antagonists, not elsewhere classified T39.- Poisoning by nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics T40.- Poisoning by narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens] T41.- Poisoning by anaesthetics and therapeutic gases T42.- Poisoning by antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic and antiparkinsonism drugs T43.- Poisoning by psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified T44.- Poisoning by drugs primarily affecting the autonomic nervous system T45.- Poisoning by primarily systemic and haematological agents, not elsewhere classified T46.- Poisoning by agents primarily affecting the cardiovascular system T47.- Poisoning by agents primarily affecting the gastrointestinal system T48.- Poisoning by agents primarily acting on smooth and skeletal muscles and the respiratory system T49.- Poisoning by topical agents primarily affecting skin and mucous membrane and by ophthalmological, otorhinolaryngological and dental drugs T50.- Poisoning by diuretics and other and unspecified drugs, medicaments and biological substances T52.- Toxic effect of organic solvents T53.- Toxic effect of halogen derivatives of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons T54.- Toxic effect of corrosive substances T55.- Toxic effect of soaps and detergents T56.- Toxic effect of metals T57.- Toxic effect of other inorganic substances T58.- Toxic effect of carbon monoxide T59.- Toxic effect of other gases, fumes and vapours T60,- Toxic effect of pesticides T61.- Toxic effect of noxious substances eaten as seafood T62.- Toxic effect of other noxious substances eaten as food T63.- Toxic effect of contact with venomous animals T64.- Toxic effect of aflatoxin and other mycotoxin food contaminants T65.- Toxic effect of other and unspecified substances X40.- Accidental poisoning by and exposure to nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics X41.- Accidental poisoning by and exposure to antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic, antiparkinsonism and psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified X42.- Accidental poisoning by and exposure to narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens], not elsewhere classified X43.- Accidental poisoning by and exposure to other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system X44.- Accidental poisoning by and exposure to other and unspecified drugs, medicaments and biological substances X46.- Accidental poisoning by and exposure to organic solvents and halogenated hydrocarbons and their vapours X47.- Accidental poisoning by and exposure to other gases and vapours X48.- Accidental poisoning by and exposure to pesticides X49.- Accidental poisoning by and exposure to other and unspecified chemicals and noxious substances X60.- Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics X61.- Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic, antiparkinsonism and psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified X62.- Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens], not elsewhere classified X63.- Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system X64.- Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other and unspecified drugs, medicaments and biological substances X66.- Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to organic solvents and halogenated hydrocarbons and their vapours X67.- Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other gases and vapours X68.- Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to pesticides X69.- Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other and unspecified chemicals and noxious substances Y40.- Systemic antibiotics Y41.- Other systemic anti-infectives and antiparasitics Y42.- Hormones and their synthetic substitutes and antagonists, not elsewhere classified Y43.- Primarily systemic agents Y44.- Agents primarily affecting blood constituents Y45.- Analgesics, antipyretics and anti-inflammatory drugs Y46.- Antiepileptic and antiparkinsonism drugs Y47.- Sedatives, hypnotics and antianxiety drugs Y48.- Anaesthetics and therapeutic gases Y49.- Psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified Y50.- Central nervous system stimulants, not elsewhere classified Y51.- Drugs primarily affecting the autonomic nervous system 
			 Y52.- Agents primarily affecting the cardiovascular system Y53.- Agents primarily affecting the gastrointestinal system Y54.- Agents primarily affecting water-balance and mineral and uric acid metabolism Y55.- Agents primarily acting on smooth and skeletal muscles and the respiratory system Y56.- Topical agents primarily affecting skin and mucous membrane and ophthalmological, otorhinolaryngological and dental drugs Y57.- Other and unspecified drugs and medicaments Y58.- Bacterial vaccines Y59.- Other and specified vaccines and biological substances T80.0 Air embolism following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection T80.1 Vascular complications following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection T80.2 Infections following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection T80.8 Other complications following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection T80.9 Unspecified complication following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection T88.0 Infection following immunization T88.1 Other complications following immunization, not elsewhere classified T88.2 Shock due to anaesthesia T88.3 Malignant hyperthermia due to anaesthesia T88.5 Other complications of anaesthesia T88.6 Anaphylactic shock due to adverse effect of correct drug or medicament properly administered T88.7 Unspecified adverse effect of drug or medicament Z71.5 Drug abuse counselling and surveillance T96.X Sequelae of poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances T97.X Sequelae of toxic effects of substances chiefly nonmedicinal as to source Z50.3 Drug rehabilitation  Ungrossed Data: Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care.

Food Standards Agency: Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pension of the Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency.

Dawn Primarolo: The cash equivalent transfer value of the chief executive's public sector pension is reported in Remuneration Reports in the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) Resource Accounts. Copies of the resource accounts for the year ending 31 March 2007 are available in the Library and are also available on the FSA website at:
	www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/annualconsolidated0607.pdf

Injuries: Sports

Richard Caborn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will direct Hospital Episode Statistics to start collecting data on the number of people attending accident and emergency departments as a result of sport injuries.

Dawn Primarolo: Plans are already in place for the Information Centre for health and social care to make an accident and emergency dataset available within Hospital Episode Statistics, which will include some information around reason for attendance.

Malnutrition: Death

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths from malnutrition occurred in  (a) residences,  (b) private care homes,  (c) state care homes and  (d) hospitals in London in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated April 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths from malnutrition occurred in  (a) residences,  (b) private care homes,  (c) state care homes and  (d) hospitals in London in each of the last 10 years. (200367)
	The attached table provides the numbers of deaths where malnutrition or effects of hunger were mentioned on the death certificate, for persons dying in  (a) private residences,  (b) private care homes,  (c) state care homes  (d) hospitals, or  (e) in other places, in the London government office region, for the years 1997 to 2006 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1. Deaths from malnutrition and effects of hunger,( 1)  by place of death( 2) , London government office region,( 3)  1997-2006( 4) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			  Place of death  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Private residences 5 6 5 4 3 1 6 1 2 5 
			 Private care home 2 1 5 1 2 0 2 1 2 2 
			 State care home 0 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hospital 22 27 27 22 18 21 19 14 11 17 
			 Other 7 1 5 3 0 0 0 1 1 1 
			 Total 36 38 43 32 23 22 27 17 16 25 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 260-269 (malnutrition) and E904.1 (effects of hunger) for the years 1997 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes E40-E46 (malnutrition) and T73.0 (effects of hunger) for 2001 onwards. Deaths were included where one of these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the numbers of deaths from each cause before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. (2) Deaths in private residences are those occurring at the usual residence of the deceased (according to the informant), where this is not a communal establishment. 'Private care home' includes non-NHS private nursing homes and private residential homes. 'State care home' includes NHS private nursing homes and local authority residential homes. 'Hospital' includes NHS and non-NHS hospitals, or multifunction sites. Deaths occurring in places not defined above, including hospices, are included in the 'other' category. (3) Based on boundaries as of 2008. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Multiple Births: Hampshire

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many multiple births there were in  (a) Basingstoke constituency and  (b) Hampshire to mothers aged (i) below 18, (ii) between 18 and 24, (iii) between 25 and 29 and (iv) above 30 years, in each year since 1997.

Edward Miliband: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 April 2008:
	As the National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question about how many multiple births there have been in (a) Basingstoke and (b) Hampshire to mothers aged (i) below 18, (ii) between 18 and 24, (iii) between 25 and 29, (iv) above 30 years of age, in each year since 1997.
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2006. The attached tables show the number of women experiencing a multiple maternity in Basingstoke and Deane local authority and Hampshire county, in each year from 1997 to 2006. A multiple maternity occurs when a woman gives birth to two or more children at the same time, including both live and stillborn children.
	Due to very small numbers at ages below 18 and between 18 and 24 in Basingstoke and Deane, these two age groups have been combined with the age group 25 to 29 to preserve the confidentiality of individuals. For the same reason, ages below 18 and between 18 and 24 have been combined for Hampshire.
	
		
			  Number of multiple maternities in Basingstoke and Deane local authority and Hampshire county by age group for each year from 1997 to 2006 
			   Age of mother  
			   Under 30  30 and over  All 
			  Basingstoke and Deane local authority   
			 1997 12 19 31 
			 1998 16 13 29 
			 1999 13 13 26 
			 2000 9 19 28 
			 2001 7 13 20 
			 2002 7 18 25 
			 2003 6 16 22 
			 2004 9 22 31 
			 2005 10 28 38 
			 2006 10 14 24 
		
	
	
		
			   Age of mother  
			   Under 25  25 to 29  30 and over  All 
			  Hampshire county 
			 1997 38 68 134 240 
			 1998 21 65 107 193 
			 1999 25 57 135 217 
			 2000 22 43 143 208 
			 2001 23 52 128 203 
			 2002 19 28 117 164 
			 2003 17 42 135 194 
			 2004 31 28 139 198 
			 2005 22 53 134 209 
			 2006 27 47 135 209 
			  Note: A multiple maternity occurs when a woman gives birth to two or more children at the same time, including both live and stillborn children.

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of management consultancy to the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was arising from activities relating to the evaluation by Monitor of inpatient and outpatient waiting list non-compliance in each of the three quarters to 31 December 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: This is a matter for the chair of Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We have written to Dr. Clive Morton informing him of the hon. Member's inquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Prescriptions

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2007,  Official Report, column 662W, on prescriptions, 
	(1)  what progress the information centre has made in reviewing which data on prescribing should be made available in the future; when it anticipates making changes to the availability of data on prescribing; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what progress the Information Centre has made in reviewing which data on prescribing should be made available in the future; when it expects to make changes to the availability of data on prescribing; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Information Centre for health and social care agreed to produce a review document seeking to determine whether it will be possible to make practice level prescribing data more accessible to the private sector with due regard to appropriate legislation, current Departmental policy and the professional regulations of those involved in the supply of prescriptions.
	This review is ongoing and there are currently no proposals for the release of practice level prescribing data or any anticipated dates for changes to the current position.

Prescriptions

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations  (a) his Department and  (b) his Department's arm's length bodies have received concerning possible (i) positive and (ii) negative effects which may result from the wider release of practice-level prescribing data, as stated in the NHS Information Centre's presentation to the Inaugural Supplier Forum of 7 November 2007; what the content of these representations was; from which organisations they were received; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the Company Chemists Association have written to the Information Centre for health and social care expressing concern about the wider release of practice level prescribing data. These concerns are based on the potential release of personally sensitive or commercially sensitive data, and the potential for misinterpretation of the data if not put in an appropriate context.
	The Information Centre for health and social care have agreed to produce a review document seeking to determine whether it will be possible to make practice level prescribing data more accessible. This review is ongoing and there are currently no proposals for the release of practice level prescribing data or any anticipated dates for changes to the current position.